Everything Changes
by serendipity-smiles
Summary: What if Jason turned to his TRUE best friend the night PC went black?
1. Chapter 1

What if Jason turned to his TRUE best friend the night Port Charles went black…

Chapter 1

One six-pack and two shots down… two six packs and a bottle of Tequila to go…

Jason Morgan rarely drank heavily… Alcohol clouded the judgment and dulled the senses and in his line of work that could be fatal. But, tonight at this very moment that was his goal… no hurt... no anger… numb… that is what he was shooting for.

"Jase… Jason? What in the world is going on?"

Sighing he turned his head and looked at the door… He should have known that at the one moment he wanted to be alone more than anything she would show up. It was as if she had some sort of second-sense to his emotions…

"Nothin' just kicking back and having a beer… or three…" He smirked and took a long pull from the beer bottle in his hand.

"I'd say you were having a few… So… I take it you didn't go and talk to Sam…"

"Oh… that is where you are wrong my friend… I went alright… went straight to hell…" Laughing he stood up and walked over to the window.

"Ok… now you are just scaring me… What happened? Hey… what is going on?"

Jason stood for a long moment not answering her question… he hadn't even noticed that she had gotten closer until he felt her slender hand on his arm.

"Let's just say that Sam and I are over… O-V-E-R… funny, that's what this is… fuckin' hysterical… No… maybe I am looking for ironic… that's the word…" Another swallow of beer and he grunted with annoyance as she pulled the beer from his grasp and took a swallow.

" Fuckin' huh? Jason… since when did you start using that vocabulary… you must really be shit-faced… you don't want to talk… so… rack em' up… We might as well play some pool…"

A beam of light woke her up… ugh, damn, her head was pounding. Not too mention her mouth tasted like something had died in it… And why in the hell was she on the floor… couldn't she have at least tried to make it to the couch?

Carly didn't even try and open her eyes… at least she was warm and had a few pillows under her. What in the hell had she done last night… stretching out her long legs she felt her toe brush across a leg… and who in the hell had she done it with…

Slowly rolling over she peeked out of one eye… OH MY GOD!

Various images crept back into her memory… What in the hell had they done… it then hit her that beneath the blanket that was casually covering her she was not wearing a stitch of clothing, it was obvious what they had done.

Raising a trembling hand to her mouth she didn't know whether to laugh, cry, or shout "HALLELUJAH".

He was sleeping so peaceful… she softly traced a finger across his eyebrows and down his nose… he didn't even stir… sleeping peaceful her ass! He as passed out cold…

A small snore caught her attention and then with a yank he pulled the blanket over himself and turned away from her.

Well, your bed manners have sure changed, she thought. Quietly, she sat up and reached for something to cover herself with… Great… a T-shirt, that'll be cute. Where is my shirt… ah, there it is… what the hell is all over my shirt?

Wrinkling her nose she caught a whiff of beer… and ugh… Tequila? Pulling the T-shirt over her head she stood up and tipped toed over to where her pants were laying piled up on the ground. Looking around she was amazed by the beers bottles and bottles of liquor lying around the pool table… what had the candles been for? Oh yea, the electricity went out again… They had really done some damage last night… in more ways than one she grimaced.

What were the odds that he wouldn't remember? He had been drunk when she had shown up… she would clean up any sign that she had been there… Milo had been on guard… she could threaten his life if she had to… she would not… could not lose her best friend over a night of recklessness. Now she had to do damage control…

Quickly and as quietly as possible she cleaned up anything that she had used… and looking around she frantically began searching for any used condoms or wrappers… they had used a condom hadn't they? Searching her memory she almost burst into tears because she couldn't for the life of her remember… did they use one or had he pulled out? Feeling a blush cover her from head to toe she ran a hand over her stomach… then looked around for any "evidence". Well, it had been a miracle to conceive Morgan… so that wouldn't be an issue…

Good, he was beautiful… too bad she couldn't wake up in his arms… too bad this would never happen again… sighing with sad regret, she crouched carefully next to the sleeping man and put a finger gently to her lips and then pressed it carefully to his.

"Sleep well angel…" Carly stood up and wiping a tear that had begun to roll down her cheek she walked out the door.

Shutting it quietly she started to turn toward Milo…

"MRS. C… I didn't know… I mean, good morning…"

Carly froze, "Max… where's Milo? Why are you here?"

"Uh, Milo… had to go somewhere, so I took over… I mean, I was off today… you know so he could go… I am working for Mr. Morgan today." Max tried to control his stammering, why was he always so nervous around Carly… Why was she coming out Mr. Morgan's penthouse? Milo hadn't said anything to him about her being there and he had taken over about 4 AM…it was now 6 AM and he hadn't left his position…

Carly gathered all over her nerves and looked Max dead in the eye, "Jason had a little too much to drink last night, and I was looking out for him… now, you and I both know that he rarely if ever drinks heavily…He would be embarrassed if he knew that I had seen him like in this condition and besides it wouldn't be good if it got out…So… Are you following me here?"

Max nodded in understanding, "Yes, Mrs. C… You weren't here and I never saw you…" It was a little weird, but… who was he to criticize…and Mr. Morgan was so steady, rarely, had Max seen him show any type of weakness.

"And you will pass this on to Milo? I am trusting you Max… this… This is the most important thing I can ask of you next to keeping him, Sonny and the boys safe… you got that…"

"Is… is everything ok… I mean…" Max didn't know how to finish the question…

"Why… Yes… Everything's fine… everything is just fine…" She answered quietly getting into the waiting elevator.

As the elevators closed behind her Max sighed, "Because my boss who never over-indulges in anything got drunk… and a woman that usually lights up the room was crying as if her heart was broken…"

Whatever was going on he wished he could do something to help… It killed him that two people he respected… and cared about where troubled…

He would keep an eye out and an ear open… and get Milo to do the same… Maybe they could find away to help.


	2. Chapter 2

Thanks for the great reviews- They always help to keep the creative vibes flowing Serendipity

This chapter is slow… not too good IMO… once I get going it will pick up… Suggestions & reviews welcome!

I own ABC, GH & STEVE BURTON…. And ocean front property in Colorado… Ok… so I just wish I owned Steve Burton!

Chapter 2- The morning after…

With a groan he rolled over and stretched his aching muscles.

Blinking rapidly he took in his surroundings and tried to recall how he ended up sleeping on the hard floor when he had a perfectly comfortable bed upstairs… or couch sitting behind him for that matter.

Taking inventory he realized that besides the slight crick in his neck and the dull throb behind his eyes, he actually felt amazingly good for drinking so much the night before. Honestly, he had slept better than he had in along time… maybe in months. Sitting up he registered that he had at least had the mental capacity to strip down to his boxers... and grab a blanket... But, why not just go upstairs… Had Milo undressed him? A wave of nausea hit him as he tried to banish the thought from his mind… Surely, Milo would have had a sense of self-preservation and just dumped him clothes and all on the couch, or left him sprawled fully dressed on the floor. Somehow the thought of any man, even a trusted bodyguard, stripping him down to his boxers made him cringe.

Sitting up slowly, Jason looked around for his clothing. A pile two feet away from him turned out to be his jeans and shoes… one sock was peeking out from under his couch… but where in the hell was his shirt? Probably hiding somewhere with his other sock…

Coffee… that was the next thing on his mind… hot, black coffee… heading to the kitchen he tried to shake off the feeling that something was off… something was missing…

Three cups of coffee and a steaming hot shower later he still couldn't shake that feeling. Over and over he replayed the events of the night in his head… Unfortunately, he always got stuck with an image of Sam and Ric rolling around on the floor. The image was enough to make his stomach heave and so he kept trying and trying get it out of his head… The anger… and if he was honest with himself, the deep hurt he had felt last night surprisingly wasn't there… maybe Tequila was useful after all he thought grimly as he picked up his phone to check his messages.

As he sat listening to Sonny rambling on about Sam, Alexis & Ric…blah, blah… an image of him and a leggy blonde locked in a heated kiss popped into his head… he couldn't see the blonde's face , but he could almost swear… Why would he be fantasizing about Carly after all this time? To make the confusion worse he was suddenly very aroused at the thoughts the image had created along with it…

Shaking his head he reached the front door in three strides…

"Max? Where's Milo?" He knew he sounded a bit out of sorts, but who wouldn't be after fantasizing about his best friend… while it was better than seeing Sam and Ric, it still left him feeling unsettled.

"Uh, Mr. Morgan, he had to go take care of a personal matter… I came in to help him out…" Max started to add that Milo hadn't wanted to disturb him, but thought better of it. He was going to avoid any mention of the previous night at all costs.

"He did, huh? Did he mention if anyone came by or if I had any messages?" Jason hated that he sounded like he didn't know what was going on, but at this moment he didn't and that was the price he would pay for this night of over-indulgence.

Max thought about what Carly had told him… should he mention that she came by? Would it help or hurt the situation?

"Uh…you mean Mrs. C? She came by, but Milo told he your were out… you know how Mrs. C is when you tell her that you aren't supposed to be disturbed."

Jason grunted with a slight smile, "Carly doesn't know what 'do not disturb' means… alright… I gotta go and take care of some stuff… why don't you get one of the guys to fill in for Milo and head back to Sonny's… he sounds like he could use you this morning…"

Max just nodded and watched in silent thought as Jason hopped on the elevator.

Carly sat on her couch staring at the blank TV screen. The house was silent for the moment… the boys had stayed with Bobbie this weekend so they could go to the circus… too bad Carly hadn't gone with them… if only…

A hot shower hadn't helped any… if anything it had just made memories of the night before more vivid. It had all started so innocently… a few drinks, some laughs, a few more drinks… some playful body shots and truth-or-dare moments… and then she had cried…

"I am so stupid Jase…. Here I am making progress with my life… just me and my boys… and you of course… no men, no complications… Why did I let him in? I let Jax into my heart and he stomped all over it… why can't just one man love me… love me and not rip my heart and soul to pieces…"

Carly had been leaning against the pool table, a half-empty beer bottle in one hand and a pool stick in the other, tears rolling down her cheeks. Jason had come over with the intention of hugging her… to reassure her and comfort her, but when he had touched her face to wipe the tears away something had happened… a long dormant spark began to burn slowly and before she could realize what was going on he was kissing away her tears and she was staring into those amazing blue eyes…

Somehow they had started kissing and heaven help her if she hadn't said anything he would have taken her right there against the pool table… Where the beer bottle and pool stick went she would never know…

Carly knew how badly Jason was hurting inside too, just as she knew that he would never admit it and somewhere between the alcohol induced haze and the need to take his pain away she had given into her impulses and given him everything she had to offer… the only sane moment had been when she asked him if he was sure…

"Jase… is this… am I… Is this really want you want… right here? Right now?" she had asked quietly, her lips suddenly dry and her heart pounding.

His eyes smoldered and if they had been a laser she was sure they would have singed her to pieces.

His only answer had been, "You… right here… right now…" and then his lips had captured hers again and the next thing she knew they were ripping clothes off each other and somehow they had made it to the couch…

A knock on the door brought her out of her reverie.

"Coming…" she muttered as she walked to the front door.

"Oh… hi…", Carly began… foolishly she felt tongued tied… and more than a little afraid.

"Hey… you busy?"

"Nope... come in…" Carly stood to the side and nervously tucked her loose hair behind her ears.

Jason looked at her curiously, "Is there something you wanted to tell me?"

Carly froze, would he blame her? "No… why?"

"Well Max said you came by last night…" Jason began as he walked over to the living room and looked around.

"He did?" Carly felt her heart drop…

"Yeah… Sorry I was out last night when you stopped by… I had something to take care…" Jason sat down and ran a hand through his hair. Why was she acting so weird? Uh oh, he thought, she always acts like this when she's hiding something…

Thank God! Carly thought. He didn't know… Part of her was relieved and part of her was deeply hurt that he didn't remember… yet… wasn't him not remembering they had slept together a good thing?

"Where'd you go? Business?" Carly asked, trying to act normal, she sat down and tried to get comfortable.

"Let's just say I finally took your advice and talked to Sam…" Would the thought of her sleeping with Ric ever not make him sick to his stomach?

"And…" Carly knew what was coming, but that didn't make it any easier to hear.

"It's over… I… she was with Ric…"

"You mean Ric was with her… where at the lakehouse?" Carly asked trying to cover that she already knew what he was saying.

"No… I mean she was WITH him… I saw them together…" Jason waited for Carly's reaction.

"You actually SAW them together… um, does she know?" Carly tried to look surprised…

But, he knew… he knew her better than anyone… she was covering something… what was it? Had Sam been sleeping with Ric for a while? Maybe he didn't want to know…

"Wow… are you ok? I mean, that has to bother you…" Carly went on choosing her words carefully. Placing a hand on his arm she tried to pretend that touching him didn't make her feel like electricity was shooting from her body.

Jason almost jumped, it was as if Carly's hand making contact with his skin had sent a jolt of energy into him… kind of like a giant static shock. Instead he covered his reaction by standing up.

"Yeah… it bothered me… I don't want go over the details… I gotta get to Sonny's… uh, don't mention this to anyone ok…" Not looking at her he headed to the door.

"Jase…" _Please stay_…." Carly couldn't finish her sentence, instead she jumped up and threw her arms around him.

Jason closed his eyes and inhaled the scent that was Carly… a zesty, yet sweet perfume teased his senses... Why did holding her feel so right?

"Carly…" _Don't let me go_… Jason thought, but said, "I have to go, I'll talk to you later…"

Carly watched as Jason, one of the steadiest people she had ever known, practically ran out her front door like he couldn't escape fast enough…

Carly stood frozen in place staring at her from door…

Why did last night have to happen… she thought sadly… would things between them ever be the same?

Jason stood on the other side of the front door and gulped big breaths of fresh air…

Why do I suddenly wish those images were real?

Shaking his head he walked to his motorcycle… how come he had the feeling that last night was only the beginning of changes yet to come…


	3. Chapter 3

Everyone's a critic…. So I can't thank you enough for the great reviews! I have been running several different ideas around in my head… so we'll see how good they are in print!

As always the only thing I own are the dreams I have about Steve Burton… or should I say "Jason" riding in on his motorcycle and sweeping me off my feet…. Sigh… but that's another type of fiction….

Enjoy! Serendipity

Chapter 3- Full Moon… or just plain crazy?

What in the hell was going on? It was as if everyone had gone crazy the night of the black-out…

Jason sat staring moodily waiting for Stan to show up with news that might lead them to the person that had tampered with Sonny's medical files.

They had decided to meet at the pier even though it looked like it might actually rain… the atmosphere was kind of reflective of his mood… gray, gloomy… & just plain irritating.

In the last week he had agreed with Sonny to put aside his personal suffering and make nice with Sam… she needed him, and Alexis needed Sam… and Sonny needed Alexis to be happy a focused on beating the cancer… It was exhausting just trying to figure out what how he would benefit from all this…

Crossing his arms over his chest he had to admit that there were times that he missed Sam, times where he knew it would be easier just to be with her than stay away. It wasn't as if he wasn't attracted to her anymore… it was just that now something was missing… Now he felt more like a friend listening to her problems, her fears…

He had tried to spend more time with her while Alexis was recovering… but, then Elizabeth started coming around more because her marriage to Lucky was on the rocks… so once again he was the "friend" with the firm shoulder to lean on. Sure she was beautiful and he had always had a soft spot for her, but now was just not the time to be dealing with other people's problems… he had enough on his own.

Business was steady… slowly going back to normal, if you could call it normal. But, with people like Alcazar roaming around in Port Charles something was always going down. Sonny had just informed him that someone had taken his medical records containing personal and compromising information… On a hunch he had gone to the hospital, running into both Sam and Elizabeth unfortunately, but he had managed to find Sonny's records in the back dumpster… Stan was looking over hospital videos and looking for finger prints, which may or may not show up. Too bad the mob didn't give it's "employee's" vacation time, he thought tiredly.

Where the hell was Stan?

The only strange thing was that he hadn't heard from Carly all week. Usually he talked to her at least twice a day. Sonny had mentioned that Jax was back in town. So she was probably busy keeping him on his toes… Strange but the thought of Carly and Jax bugged him a lot more now than it had before the Aussie had taken off for Africa.

Standing up he reached for his cell phone and was about to dial her number when he noticed Stan walking quickly toward him… All thoughts of Carly and her strange behavior flew out the window as his brain went into "business" mode. If he was correct, and he had a feeling that he might be, then he knew where the blame would fall…

Carly pulled Lulu into a tight embrace. Her heart went out to her young cousin who it seemed was destined for more heartache.

"What can I do to help? What do you need?" Carly pulled back and looked into eyes that were so much like her own.

"Carly, I need you to tell me that it's ok to not want this baby… I mean I don't want to be a mom… Not now… maybe not ever. Like I said, the Quartermaine's are driving me insane… I can't handle this. I'm only 18… I shouldn't be having to make this kind of decision… and before you say that whole 'if you're old enough to have sex' thing… I get it, and I used a condom… It's not my fault that it didn't work… I should just sue ELQ… maybe that would get the assholes off my back…"

Carly took Lulu's hand and led her over to the couch, "Well, I can say that I have been where you are… scared, freaking out… not sure about the choice I want to make. I even went to the clinic and tried to have an abortion, but I just couldn't do it… it wasn't right for me… and I don't regret having either one of my boys… but, this isn't about me. You have to do what is right for you. Forget the Quartermaine's, forget what people are telling to do… What do you want to do?"

"Why can't you just say 'Hey, Lulu if you want to have an abortion… do it'… why does it have to be so complicated… I just want one person to get it… I am not ready to be responsible for anyone else… Tell me to go have an abortion…" Lulu stood up and turned away and Carly knew that she was about to start crying.

"I can't… because one day you might regret the choice you made and you might get angry… you might want to blame someone… and I am sorry, as much as I… well, as much as I am growing to love you, I don't want to be the one…" Walking over to the petite blonde Carly wrapped her arms around shaking figure, "But, what I can do is offer you my guest room… no strings, no stress… you can hide out here as long as you need to… and whatever it is you decide to do… we'll handle it together…"

Looking back at the conversation, Carly was glad that Lulu had come to her. She had been glad to give her cousin emotional support when the kid's father was missing in action. Carly sat on the park bench watching the boys chase after Leticia who had managed to capture the soccer ball. Normally, Carly thought tiredly, I would be out there running and playing with them, but I am exhausted… this morning was too emotional… hell, the whole week has been insane!

Lulu had agreed to move in tonight, and honestly Carly would be glad to have her around. She would get to know her little cousins and Carly would have an excuse to not think about Jason… to not want to call Jason every five minutes… Every time she had seen him the past few days he had been deep in conversation with someone… the latest damsel in distress usually… She tried to be happy when she saw him talking with Sam… she had even tried to feel nothing at all when he had been chatting it up with Elizabeth Spencer… but in the end she had left without him seeing her and hadn't returned the two calls he had left on her cell. She tried to tell herself that she was too busy… but who was she kidding, it was just plain avoidance…

Besides Jax was back and Carly didn't want to get involved with him again… not yet, maybe not ever. Sure it had been great… and she had thought that it had been real. But, then he left… left her to deal with the fall-out from keeping baby John, or Spencer as he had been renamed, away from Nikolas… And if she was honest with herself, if she really loved Jax why did the thought of losing Jason make her heart hurt so bad… not to mention that instead of losing sleep about not having Jax around, she had been unable to sleep because thoughts and memories kept invading her tired mind…

And then on top of it all, Sonny had asked her to help him raise Kristina should Alexis die… that had been a shock… and a complete surprise. Alexis would croak if she even thought for a second that Sonny would ask Carly to help raise Kristina. But, Ric was an evil asshole that could not be allowed to raise that sweet little girl. It was unfortunate that little Molly was stuck with him…

Carly pushed all thoughts aside and tried to focus on Lulu's problem… dialing a number she crossed her fingers that she would be able to accomplish something good today.

"Max? It's Carly… no, everything is ok… how many times do I have to tell you to call me Carly?... Whatever, look, I need you to get me a phone number… what's the guy's name that gets information for Jason? Look if I wanted to bother Jason I would call him myself, but this is personal… please… I promise it has nothing to do with the business… or me, Jason, or even Sonny… thanks… you're a gem…"

She hung up and quickly dialed the number Max had given her. Looking up at the sky she decided after this call they would head home before it started to rain.

"Hello? Stan? This Carly Corinthos… no, I am not looking for Jason… I need some information and I know you can get it..."

"NO! I don't need to talk to Sonny or Jason about this… Look, just see if you or some of your guys can find Luke Spencer… It's a family emergency… no, Spencer family emergency not that it's anyone's business… Fine, you see what you can dig up, and I'll talk to Mr. Morgan…"

Hanging up Carly was irritated. Why did people have to make her life so difficult?

Feeling a rain drop hit her on the nose she yelled for the boys… Maybe tonight after getting Lulu settled she would call Jason and talk to him about finding Luke… Maybe…


	4. Chapter 4

So what's the general opinion- Sam… good or evil? I am seeing where I THINK I want to go with several characters… hope you enjoy… thanks for the reviews!

Serendipity

Chapter 3- Miracle worker…

Jason stood staring at Stan… from what he understood Carly was trying to get him so to do something for her. Frowning Jason knew what ever it was that Carly was up to it couldn't be good…

The minute the call he ended he was all over Stan with questions.

"I take it that was Carly… What did she want? Is she in some kind of trouble?"

Stan's only answer was, "She said it was a 'Spencer Family' Emergency… wants me to locate Luke Spencer…"

"A 'Spencer Family Emergency'… well, go ahead see if you can track Luke down… call me when you find him… I'll take it from there…" Jason nodded and headed to the source of the mystery. Since when did she involve herself in the Spencer family affairs… unless, it had something to do with Bobbie… or it was just another one of her crazy schemes about to spiral out of control.

Carly had barely walked in her backdoor with the kids when the front door bell began to ring and a knock promptly followed the ringing chimes. She figured it was Jax… or maybe Lulu was here way too early…

Opening it she was greeted by a huge bouquet of hot pink roses… signing the receipt from the delivery guy she smiled and walked into the living room turning the card over and over in her hand. Jax… these had to be from Jax…

Ah ha! She thought, I'm right… of course they're from Jax… who else would be sending her flowers…Her smiled faded as she realized that deep in her heart she had wished they were from someone else… Why couldn't she just love Jax? He was a good man and at one time she had thought that maybe she could love him… but now, nothing was certain.

Another knock on her door brought her out of her melancholy thoughts and once again she opened the door thinking it must Jax… imagine her surprise when the object of her recent obsession stood staring back at her… This was the first time Jason had come by since the "morning after".

"Ok, Carly… What's going on? You've been quiet and out of sight all week… now you have Stan on a mission to find Luke Spencer… Spill it…" Jason walked past her and froze when he saw the roses sitting on the coffee table.

Turning he raised his eyebrows in question and waited for her response. For some reason the thought crossed his mind that he really didn't want to hear her say that she had been busy romancing the days away with Jax…

"Not that I have to explain myself to you, but Lulu needs her father and you have the resources to locate him… and I have been out of sight because I have been busy…" Carly immediately went on the defensive. She knew that tone of voice Jason was using all too well.

It was the 'Ok Carly, what have you done now' tone… and it irritated her that he had immediately jumped to the conclusion that she was up to something crazy.

Raising his hands up in mock surrender, Jason smiled and walked toward the roses, "And these… must be from good 'ole Jax… decided to come back AFTER the smoke settled, huh?"

"Again none of your business, but yes, they are from Jax…" she knew the reply had come out sharp, but she was tired, frustrated and from some damn reason her back was beginning to hurt like the very devil.

"Hey, don't take your anger at him out on me… I have enough to deal with..." His cell phone stopped him and he answered in his customary no-nonsense voice.

"Morgan… you found him? Alright, look who do we have over there? Ok, give him a call tell him he needs to PERSUADE Luke to…" Jason looked at Carly for directions…

Carly rushed over to Jason's side all irritation forgotten; grabbing the phone impatiently out of his hand she rushed into action.

"Tell him that he needs to get Luke back to Port Charles… no is not an option… and if Luke fights or gives him trouble, tell him it's… yeah, a Spencer Emergency… Thanks… call me," She would have laughed at Jason's disgruntled expression if the matter wasn't so serious, "or Jason when he is on his way… bring him straight to my house, no stops…"

Jason reached for his phone with a sigh, "Sorry… Just do what ever it takes… let me know what's going on…" Hanging up he turned to face Carly about to give her the 'do not tell my guys what to do' speech… and Carly was glaring at him ready to launch into her 'I can handle this myself' routine…

Luckily for both of them they were interrupted by the sound of the doorbell ringing once again.

Growling, Carly stomped to the door.

"What!" She answered rudely throwing open the door.

The sight that greeted her swept all thoughts of grumpiness and irritation out of her head…

There on her door step stood Lulu Spencer, one of the gutsiest kids she knew, rain drenched and looking as if she had been crying for days.

Pulling her quickly inside, she yelled for Jason to grab the throw off the couch.

"My god! Lulu what happened? Are you ok? Is it the baby…" Carly barely got the words out when the young woman threw herself in her arms and let her emotions reign free.

"I couldn't tak…take it anymore… I'mmm… so sorry… I tried to be strong… I had to get out of the-re." Lulu hiccupped and took deep breaths trying to calm herself.

"Sweetie, it's ok… why didn't you call me? I would've come to get you?" Carly took the warm throw from Jason and wrapped it tightly around the shivering girl.

"I had to sneak out… I swear Edward was about to lock me in my room and post guards to make sure I didn't have the abortion… I just… I just want my mother…" Lulu looked less than 18 when she pulled away, pulling the throw tighter around her.

"I know, I wish your mother was here… but, since she isn't I am… and believe me when I say I know personally how Edward Quartermaine can be… But, he can't get past my front door, so think of this as your sanctuary… Now, why don't you go upstairs, take a hot shower in the guest bathroom, I'll grab you some clothes, which will swamp you because you are so tiny, but they will be dry and you can rest until dinner… Jason, will go and see to it that your belongings are brought here… Won't you Jason?" Carly shot a look at the silent man staring at her intensely.

"Sure… I'll head over there after I take care of some things…" Jason stood staring in awe of the way Carly had taken control of the situation. She was an amazing woman and seeing her with Lulu made him realize just how lucky he was that she considered him family.

After Lulu had headed upstairs, Carly turned her full attention on him. "Thanks, now you see why it is so important of me to find Luke… and fast. Can you do it?"

Jason felt an odd little thump in his heart, "Yeah, don't worry… I'll take care of everything…"

Later Carly replayed the moment over and over in her mind. No matter how big or how small, Jason always managed to take care of her, to be the one person she could always count on to come through for her…

Rolling over in her empty bed Carly glanced at the clock… damn, her back was steadily getting worse… and it was 2 O'clock in the morning. She had tucked the boys in, got Lulu settled in the guest room, her belongings had arrived shortly after dinner with a message the Mr. Quartermaine had been very displeased…

That didn't bother her… Luke would be in Port Charles in the morning… Jason had managed to work miracles… he always did.

Picking up the phone she dialed a number and waited as the phone rang.

A deep male voice answered, "Did you get her settled?"

Carly smiled into the phone, "How did you now it was me? Oh… caller ID…"

On the other end Jason smiled sleepily, "No… not the caller ID… honestly, for some reason I just knew it was you… so… how's Lulu?"

"Better… exhausted. I didn't tell her Luke was going to be here tomorrow. I think it's best if I talk to him first… test the waters… she doesn't need anymore stress… by the way, did I thank you for today?"

Jason sighed and rubbed his eyes, "You are calling me at 2 in the morning to thank me?"

I missed you, she thought… Carly wanted to answer him with the truth. She wanted to ask him to come over… to stay with her… but she didn't have the courage.

Instead, she settled with a semi-truth, "You, Mr. Jason Morgan, are a prince among men… a miracle worker and I am lucky to have you in my life… so I called to thank you and to ask you to a thank-you dinner tomorrow night."

Chuckling, Jason closed his eyes, "You cooking? I'll be there… now go to sleep…"

Amazingly despite the thoughts rolling around in her head, despite the ache in her back, she did just that the moment she hung up the phone. And both slept better than they had in days…


	5. Chapter 5

Sorry for the period of silence… life just gets hectic sometimes. Thanks for all the great reviews… I know a lot of people think that Ric is evil… but I just can't help thinking that he is just misunderstood… Anyway… on with the story…

Oh yea… you know the spill… I don't own, write, or work for ABC… though our lives would improve if I did… Serendipity

Chapter 5 Moving on

Carly sat sipping on her second coffee of the morning, while glancing at the morning paper. The silence in the house was a welcome relief after the normal chaos of the morning. The boys had gotten up and decided that they didn't want to go to school, but wanted to wake-up cousin Lulu instead and take her to the Zoo. They were too young to understand the cause of the emotional turmoil that their young relative was in, but they were able to sense her sadness and stress… Michael was sure that a trip to the Zoo was just the thing to cheer her up…

Carly had managed to veto the idea quickly and hustled them out the door so Leticia could take them to school. Sometimes it was so hard to believe that Morgan was already in Pre-K classes three days a week… her babies were growing up so fast…

"Good Morning…"

Looking up with a smile she folded up the paper and threw it to the side.

"You hungry? I can fix a mean slice of toast & the best cereal in town, & the orange juice… well it's to die for…" Carly greeted as she got up to pull out a chair for Lulu.

"Ugh… no food… thanks though… I would like some orange juice… " Lulu grimaced as she slid into the vacant chair.

"Morning sickness, huh? I remember those days well… who ever called it morning sickness was wrong… I would get sick anytime of the day… here you go…" Carly sat back down and reached for her coffee.

"Yeah, I don't actually get sick, but I feel nauseated most of the day… thanks again for letting me crash here…" Lulu tentatively sipped her juice and waited for her stomach to roll.

"Hey… no problem. We love having you're here… so… What are your plans for the day? Do you need some cash?"

"Wow… no thanks… Nikolas is going to pick me up and take me to visit my mom… if you could call it that… It's kind of hard to visit with someone when you are the one doing all the talking…" Lulu brushed her bangs out of her eyes and smiled sadly.

"I couldn't even imagine… I mean, the boys came to see me when I was out of it, but I don't remember it all that well… we tried to keep them away until I was able to communicate and carry on a conversation…"

Carly did finish her sentence, but cleared her throat and looked out the window as her eyes filled with tears as she thought about how scared and hurt her children must have been seeing her like that.

"Carly… I don't mean to bring up painful subjects… and it's ok if you want me to butt out… but there is something I need to know… I just… I just want to try and understand you a little better… if that makes sense…"

Carly tensed thinking for sure that Lulu wanted to know all about her breakdown and she wasn't sure whether or not she was in the mood to get into it all right now. But, as Lulu began to talk she didn't know whether to be relieved or not.

"From the moment I needed someone to talk to, you never hesitated to listen or to give me advice… and now that everything has just gone to hell, you have been really cool to me… treating me like an adult… like family… and I just can't… well, when the whole thing about Spencer came out I wanted to hate you, I mean, Nikolas is my brother and you kept his son from him… I guess what I am trying to ask is…"

Carly grimaced at the young girl's discomfort, "You want to know why? Oh Lulu, I wish the answer was simple… but, it isn't. Remember before when I mentioned something about doing the wrong thing for the right reasons? Well, at the time, I thought that Jax and I could protect Spencer from Helena… that we could give him a loving home together… at the time all I knew is that I didn't want to lose that last little piece of my best friend… the only girl friend I have really ever had… There are a millions of different ways I could justify myself, but in the end I was wrong. I only wish that… ohhh, who cares what I wish… I am still big, bad old Carly…"

Carly stood up and was getting ready to head up stairs when Lulu reached out and grabbed her hand.

"I may not understand exactly why you did it… I mean, I may not agree, but I know you didn't mean to hurt Nikolas and you really loved Spencer… and for what its worth I forgive you… you're pretty awesome to me…" Lulu looked down and was actually blushing.

Carly smiled and gave her cousin's hand a squeeze, "Ditto, kid."

Jason stood just staring off the pier. He had just had a very profound talk with Sonny and it had left him to do a lot of thinking.

_You never learned to forgive… It's time to let things go… You never could forgive Robin… Carly… and now you have to forgive Sam_…

These phrases kept running through his head. It was true. He had never forgiven anyone that had hurt, angered, or betrayed him… honestly, it had probably even started before Robin… it had started with him not being able to forgive his own brother… and now that was too late.

He and Robin had been able to be friends-of-a-sort but the moment she had revealed Michael's paternity, he had shut down completely and whatever spark they had shared was gone… as if it had never existed.

Now Carly, she was a different story… After she had slept with Sonny he had convinced himself that it really didn't matter… that he hadn't loved her… leaving her he had gone away to lick his wounds far away from her and the reminders of what they had shared. He had practically given her to Sonny… and before her breakdown he would have sworn that they belonged together, that she was better off with Sonny. But in all the years he had known her, he had never actually forgiven her. He had just shut that part of his heart off to her and now he had to stop and wonder "what if". Would Morgan have been his son? Would Carly have suffered that horrible break with reality? Would they have even lasted more than a year or two?

"Jason?"

Jason turned to find Sam staring intently at him. At one time he would have lost himself in her eyes, but now… he just didn't know how he felt. But, he had agreed with Sonny to try and forgive her, to try and help her get through the stressful time she was experiencing with Alexis being at death's door.

"Hi… I just was taking a break… you know, from the hospital. The weather was nice so I decided to take a walk… I was hoping I would bump into you… What are you doing?" Sam smiled tentatively at him.

"I was just thinking… about the past… about my inability to forgive the people that hurt me…" Jason shrugged and wondered when Sam's voice had become so soft and whispery… like she was trying to sound breathless… it was kind of annoying.

"Does this mean you want to forgive me? That you want me in your life?" Sam let two big tear drops roll down her pale cheeks for effect. Jason could never stand her tears… if she was lucky maybe he would pull her into his arms.

"I honestly don't know… look, I have somewhere to be… can we talk about this later?" Jason smiled… remember… Don't shut down… don't shut down… he kept repeating to himself.

"Oh… business? I guess I shouldn't be asking that… well, maybe you could call me when you get through… we could talk… maybe at the hospital when I get a minute or something?" Sam stared soulfully at the gorgeous male in front of her. She wouldn't give up, not when she was so close to having him back.

"Umm… maybe, I don't know… I'll catch up with you later, ok…" Jason let her give him a hug, and it would have been a complete lie to say her curves didn't get to him, but at the moment all he wanted to do was get away from her.

Carly opened the door with a smirk, "Luke… welcome back to the real world…"

"Ok Caroline, Spencer Family Emergency my ass… this better be good… you got any scotch here?" Luke drawled as he walked into her living room, not even pausing as he headed over to the mini-bar.

"That's locked… Keys in the bowl on the fireplace mantel…" Carly waited for him to pour himself a drink, trying to gauge the mood he was in.

"Mmmmm, not bad, but that Ex of yours has better… something must be going on, you didn't even pause to give me lecture about drinking before noon… so spill it…"

"As tempted as I am to shock the hell out of you and make you choke on your brunch… I think you might want to sit down and take a few deep breaths…"

Laughing Luke walked over to the couch and sat down, "So what… all that therapy make you a shrink or something… Oh! Let me guess… it's a con-job isn't it? Better yet, it's blackmail?"

Carly almost laughed at the expression on Luke's face. He looked remarkably like a dog about to get a treat. Boy, was his day about to go south.

"Oh no… I've seen that look before… don't tell me… you've got a bun in the oven... Who's the lucky father… Jasper Jax or the Don?" Luke took a swig of his drink.

She began trying to find the right words to get Luke's attention and though the situation was far from funny her sense of humor got the best of her.

"Dillon Quartermaine."

Cough… gasp… choke "Spielberg… come on… that's not funny… it's sick… you trying to kill an old man?" Luke gasped for breath and wiped his mouth on his sleeve.

"Actually Grandpa… I'm not the Spencer that's pregnant… Lulu is."

All trace of emotion was wiped from Luke's face as he fell back on to the couch in silence.

"Lulu… my Lulu? My daughter is pregnant?" He asked shaking his head in disbelief.

"_Your_ Lulu? Nice of you to acknowledge her for once... Yes, Lulu is pregnant with Dillon Quartermaine's child… and I love her and want to help her, but she doesn't need me… she needs you…"

"Me? Laura was the one with the answers… with the gentle wisdom and compassion… The poor kid… Does my little wife know?"

"Yep… and so do the rest of the Q's… AS you can imagine it hasn't been easy for her… so she's been staying with me…"

"Well, what has she said? What have you said to her? Is she going to keep the baby? Or is she…" Luke couldn't finish his sentence his minding frozen with worry and concern.

Walking over to the decanter she picked it up and refilled Luke's glass. Sitting down she patted him on the back and filled him in on the last few days of his child's life.


	6. Chapter 6

Bare with me as I get back into the story. I have had to take a LONG break due to the fact that I am "soapaholic" and I get way too into this stuff…

Please review- so I can get a feeling about where I want to go…

Chapter Six- Misunderstanding

Jason frowned as he watched Carly smiling up at Jax. Her fake cheerfulness was obvious to him, but he could see that the dumb playboy was buying it. Standing next to Sam he tried to figure out what could've happened to make his best friend avoid him so completely.

It had been two weeks since he had found Luke for her, two weeks since she and Luke had taken Lulu out of town to get away from reality for awhile. Two weeks with a total of two phone conversations that had been completely one-sided… He hadn't even known she was back.

"Earth to Jason… hello?"

Jason turned to face the petite brunette trying to grab his attention. Sam looked beautiful tonight… she was always beautiful… but the more he looked at her he compared her doll-like beauty to the naturally sensual beauty of Carly's… God Jason, he thought angrily, get your head out of your ass!

"Sorry Sam… I just have some things on my mind…" Wearily he ran his hand through his hair and tried his best to smile at his date. He began to think that dinner at the Metro Court hadn't been such a good idea after all…

"Let me guess… Carly has gotten into something crazy again and you're stuck in the middle of it… again." Sam glaring at the blonde across the room she thought in disgust about how much she hated Carly taking advantage of Jason. If the woman could just take care of herself for once than maybe Jason could get on with his own life. That woman was a so self-absorbed and selfish that she probably would never let Jason out of her clutches.

"Why would you think that? Well… besides the fact that more often than not it's true…" He had to jealousy of a smile as various PLANS of Carly's came to mind.

Focusing again on Carly's animated face he tried to remember the last time he had seen Carly before her trip. Maybe it was just as Sam had suggested, she had gotten into something that she knew he wouldn't like… Come to think of it she had been acting funny for over a month now… ever since the black-out. The last time he had seen her she had completely blown him off…

_Two Weeks Earlier…_

"Oh… Jase… What am I going to do? I just don't think I can forgive Lucky… I feel so alone and scared… I just told him I wanted a divorce and this happens… How am I going to tell him about the baby?" burrowing further unto his chest she cried softly.

Jason hated to see Liz cry… Wished he could make her feel better… But he had his own problems to think about didn't he… Hadn't she suggested they sit down to talk to discuss HIS problems?

Sighing his arms still wrapped around her, he gave her a quick squeeze, "It's going to be ok… your not alone."

It was that scene then that he looked up to see her standing like a deer caught in headlights.

Piercing blue eyes met velvety brown eyes…

Her eyes had been wide with shock at seeing him in such an intimate position… And just for a second he could have sworn that a hurt expression had flashed across her face.

Giving a half-wave and what was supposed to have been a smile she had stepped on the elevator and disappeared before he could even talk to her.

Looking back he realized that he should have known how she would react. He could only imagine what was going through her overactive imagination. He knew she didn't like Liz and seeing them so cozy probably hadn't been pleasant… Could it be simple jealousy causing her to avoid him? But no… Carly had been jealous too many times before to let something so random get to her.

Feeling the brush of Sam's soft breast pressing into his arm, her soft whispery voice reluctantly caught his attention. He glanced down at her with a smile and focused on what she was saying. Feeling more than a little guilty for ignoring her, he made a firm decision to try to pay more attention to his date and work things out with Carly later.

Across the room Carly tried to pretend that Jason wasn't staring at her… that the very sight of him sitting so cozy with Sam irritated the hell out of her. How could he sit there with his supposed girlfriend and act as if he hadn't a care in the world? Did Sam even have any clue what was going on behind her back? Apparently the man that she thought she knew better than anyone was a complete stranger to her. If you asked her three weeks ago she would have sworn on everything holy that Jason wasn't the type to jump from bed to bed… boy had she been wrong. I wonder where Elizabeth is… shouldn't he be watching over her these days? She thought with a lump in her throat.

Carly turned away from the happy couple, nausea causing her to lose her breath for a second… She closed her eyes trying to push it away…

Had it really only been two weeks ago that her world had started to shatter…

_Two weeks earlier…_

Leaving Dr. Lee's office in a hurry Carly had been impatient to get home. Her head hurt, her back hurt, and all she wanted to do was lay down.

Who knew that such a pesky thing as a urinary tract infection could make her so miserable? Dropping her prescription into her purse she was reaching for her cell phone when she walked around the corner and into hell.

"…How am I going to tell him about the baby?" Liz was crying and clinging to Jason as if he was her lifeline and Jason looked tenderly concerned for the waiflike woman in arms.

She had already felt like crap when she had walked up on him with his arms wrapped around Little Lizzie Spencer… and it only got worse as what Liz had been saying started to penetrate her shock and she realized that the oh-so delicate, waiflike nurse had been saying something about a baby… Which could only mean… Was Liz pregnant? Worse… was Jason the baby's father or was her cousin?

"It's going to be ok… your not alone." She heard Jason reply softly holding Liz tighter.

Velvety brown eyes met piercing blue eyes…

Knowing that if she stopped to talk she would either burst out in hysterics or throw-up, she tried to act nonchalant. Giving a half-wave and what was supposed to have been a smile she had stepped on the elevator and disappeared before he could even try and talk to her.

The memory alone was enough to send a wave of nausea through her. That damned medication the doctor gave her sure wasn't helping her stomach she thought miserably. Taking a deep breath she looked away from Jason and Sam and tried to get impatiently to get Jax's attention… Jax, who was once again on his cell phone talking intensely and had barely acknowledged her all evening. Standing up she fought off a fresh wave of nausea and dizziness trying to focus on the single task making it to the bathroom before she embarrassed herself in front of the guests and employees of her hotel.

"Uhhhh, what the hell…" she mumbled in surprise as realized two things… first that she was staring into those familiar blue eyes that had haunted her repeatedly night after night… and secondly, she was on her back and the cold, hard floor was beneath her.

"Carly? Are you ok? You… you fainted…" Jason's concerned face was pale as he gently brushed the hair out of her eyes, his arms cradling her tenderly. Too incoherent to notice the strange look in his eyes she tried to focus on his face. That sweet face…

For a moment she allowed herself to forget that he had torn her heart out… and that one moment she was where she wanted to be…

For a moment he held her close and a flash of something popped into his head… him holding Carly's naked body close to his, her eyes glazed with passion… shaking his head he wondered not for the first time why his imagination was getting so vividly sexual when it came to Carly.

Seeing the puzzled look on Jason's face she switched her focus to the group standing around her… Jax's voice filled with concern…

JAX!!! Remembering where she was and who she was supposed to be with she groaned.

"Oh geez… how embarrassing…" Carly grumbled as she struggled to sit up, "I'm fine… I haven't eaten since early yesterday night and took something on an empty stomach… Damn… I never faint… ugh!"

Jason laughed at the disgruntled look on her face as he helped her sit up. She was so cute sometimes… The laughter died the moment her icy glare hit him. What in the hell had he done to earn that?

Carly glared at him. How dare he smile and act as if everything was ok? Didn't he realize how much he had hurt her? Every night she had struggled to forget about the one night they had shared… the night he didn't even remember… and it killed her… she was damned any which way she looked at it… whether he remembered that night or not he was having a baby with Liz, in love with Sam and she was going to lose him…

Feeling tears sting her eyes she pulled her arm away from Jason and smiled at Jax. With a frown Jax helped her to stand and smiled gently at her, "Darling, are you ok? What in the hell happened?" Not even waiting for her to reply he threw a dirty look at Jason, "She's fine Morgan… I'm taking care of her… you can leave."

Not liking the possessive look Jax gave Carly and the condescending tone he used as he delivered his comment, Jason couldn't help but respond, "Leave… me? I thought that was your trademark…"

Carly threw a frustrated look at the two grown men that suddenly were acting like a pair of kids fighting over the same toy.

"Jason, I am fine now, you can go… Jax, just… can you just please take me home?" Carly reached for his hand and smiled a tearful smile.

Jason flinched as if he had been hit… she had just dismissed him… as if he were anybody but her best friend in the world.

Jax smiled smugly as he draped his arm around her shoulder and led her out of the room.

With a frown Jason decided then and there that he was going to have to confront Carly… If she wasn't going to be her usual "confront-the-devil" and tell him what was wrong then it was up to him to find out…

"Carly… what have you gotten yourself into?" He thought as he turned and led a unusually silent Sam back to their table.


	7. Chapter 7

I want to thank JCMorgan and IlovetowriteSMP… they have stuck with me since the beginning on this and have been SO patient with me… You guys make this story ROCK!!! Anyway… questions will be answered and things will get worse before they get better… I may post this to test the waters and if it stinks I may re-write it…

Serendipity

Chapter 7- A Thin line between… positive and negative

Carly sat on her bathroom floor… she had been there for hours though it felt more like days to her. Her arms wrapped tightly around her knees she had stared into nothing for the longest time after the tears had finally stopped.

After Jax had brought her home last night she had peeked in on Lulu and the boys… their sleeping faces putting the first real smile of the night on her face. Then she had tiredly changed into her softest pajamas and climbed into bed. That had been at ten o'clock… at midnight she had given up on sleep and decided to face the demons running around in her head. She knew what she had to do and she might as well get it over with…

The sound of the phone ringing stopped her in her tracks. Instinctively, she knew it was Jason… ironic that he would choose this exact moment to call. Oh how she wanted to answer the phone! To put off the inevitable for just a little while longer… But, she knew is she did she would lose it… so ignoring the phone she had gone into her closet and pulled out a paper bag that had been sitting there calling to her every time she came into the room.

Vaguely she was aware of the phone starting to ring again… hesitating for only a second she considered answering it, but knew if she did she wouldn't have the energy to finish what she had started… A cool sweat had broken out on her body and she could swear that her heart was about to beat out of her chest… Focusing on the paper bag once again she opened it, took a deep breath and pulled out the small box inside.

To her the box symbolized everything… Love, hope, fear, sorrow… even anger… The minutes ticked by slowly as she stared at the instrument of torture in her hands… How had her life once again been reduced to this one defining moment? For god sakes she was 34 years old… and she had never felt more alone in her life…

Sighing she slowly and mechanically began the process that would tell her where she stood… what her future would hold.

That had been six hours and one pregnancy test ago…

"Car… Carly? Are you in here? It's me Lulu… I really need to talk to you!"

Instantly all her troubles faded to the back of her mind. Jumping up she rushed to the door. Unlocking it she groaned at the stiffness in her joints from sitting on the cold marble floor for so long.

"Lulu? What is it? Are you ok? What's wrong?" Frantically Carly reached out to cousin and looked her over from head to toe, a million possible emergencies going through her head.

"Whoa… I'm ok… CARLY! I'm ok…" Lulu took the older woman's cold hands into her own and squeezed them gently, "Well… I am going to be… I've made my decision…"

Staring down at her little cousin she pulled deep breaths into lungs trying to calm herself. Lulu was ok… smiling she pulled her over to her bed and sat down.

"So… what have you decided?" She tried to smile, tried to act as if everything was ok…

Lulu shot her a puzzled glance and then she remembered why she had come in search of Carly.

"Last night I had this insane dream… I was you… I was going through everything you had been through… you know the stuff that you talked to me about…" Lulu began to pace the floor anxiously, "And then I was me again… only older… I woke up and I must have laid there for hours thinking about the dream and what it could mean… and the thing is… we are so much alike… and you are an amazing mom… and Michael and Morgan are amazing kids… and well, I am going to keep my baby…" Lulu finished in a rush of breath. Wringing her hands nervously she waited for the old woman's reaction.

Carly's eyes filled with tears as she stood up and pulled the younger version of herself into her arms and held her tight, "Are you sure?" At the silent nod from the head on her shoulder she smiled gently, "You are going to be an amazing mother, Lesley Lu Spencer…"

Pulling out of the embrace Lulu wiped at the tears on her face, "Well, I don't know about that… But, I see you and the boys and well… the last couple weeks you have been so great… and I realized that even if I don't change my mind and marry Dillon… well, I'm not alone…"

Carly smiled through her tears and fought the urge to tell Lulu what was going on… Instead she just held her tighter.

"No… you're not alone…" More than you know baby girl, more than you know…. She thought hugging Lulu tight.

Not more than five feet away from them sitting on the bathroom floor sat a pregnancy test… two lines… for positive… stuck out like a beacon in the night.

Jason was in a foul mood as he walked into his penthouse. Last night had ended up being none stop torture that had led to a hellish day.

First, Carly wouldn't answer her cell phone… then she wouldn't answer her home phone… the thought that she might be at Jax's place only worsened his mood.

And from there the night just kept on getting worse and worse…

Sam had attempted to seduce him… and he would be a liar to say he hadn't been tempted… But something just hadn't felt right and he had left her at her room above Kelly's. He had made some random excuse about not wanting to rush into anything and kissed her chastely on the lips walking away grumpy and sexually frustrated.

Then Sonny had called. It seemed Stan had found something interesting going on at the PCPD; which could only mean they were right about Ric, who had been way too quiet lately.

Arriving at Greystone had only led to an all night session of planning strategy and combing through information collected on Alcazar and his various warehouses and his possible connection to Ric.

As day broke their tip from Stan had paid off and they got word that the police were raiding the Corinthos/ Morgan warehouses… where of course they would find nothing incriminating… But, it had taken Jason at least four hours worth of phone calls to reassure various clients that all was well.

Tiredly, he had decided that Carly would have to wait… that what he needed most was a long shower and some undisturbed sleep.

Unfortunately, a knock on the door stopped him at the foot of the stairs and he gotten the feeling that the shower and much needed sleep weren't going to be coming any time soon. And he had been right. He been dragged down to the police station… unofficially of course, and sat there as Ric went on and on about some "evidence" he had found against them that would put them in prison for a long time… blah, blah, blah… It was the same old dance and routine… six hours later he was walking out with his attorney and in a killing mood. He couldn't count how many times he had wanted to strangle Ric… or how many times Ric had insinuated something about Sam expecting Jason to fall for the bait and lose his cool… The only thing worthwhile that whole time had been the look of frustration on Ric's face when Jason didn't even flinch or show any sign of emotion…

Pulling off his shirt and throwing it on the couch he headed for the stairs, his only goal was reaching the shower and soft bed calling to him.

As the scalding hot water eased the aching muscles in his back, Jason turned and braced his hands on the wall in front of him, letting the water rain down on his head. The tension slowly flowed out of his shoulders and for the first time that day, he actually felt a little relaxed. Lathering up the soap he quickly rubbed down his body and let the feeling of being clean sooth him. Quickly rinsing off he decided to skip getting dressed and just slide in between his cool sheets with nothing on but a smile…

Grabbing a towel he had just started drying off when he noticed a sound coming from his bedroom. Looking around he realized his gun was lying on his bed next to his discarded jeans… He had been so tired he hadn't even given it a second thought.

With a towel wrapped loosely around his hips he quietly crept to the door… and came face to face with…

"Sam! What in the hell are you doing in here?" He yelled brushing a hand threw his wet, spiky hair.

"Sorry… I just… well, I was worried about you… I couldn't get down to the station today and I heard from Sonny what Ric was pulling… Are you ok?" Sam's hungry eyes practically devoured his half-naked body.

"I'm fine… you shouldn't worry… I can handle Ric…" Jason sighed walking over to his dresser and pulling out a clean pair of jeans. He had to put as much space in between Sam and his frustrated body as possible…

"Oh… I know… it's just with everything… I've missed seeing you… being with you… haven't you missed me at all Jase?" Sam walked up behind him and wrapped her skinny arms around his waist.

"Uh… of course… of course I have missed you… I just am tired… it's been a long day and I need to sleep…" Taking her hand he cajoled her with what he hoped would pass for a sincere smile and pulled her out of his room and down the hallway toward the stairs.

Pouting playfully, Sam smiled invitingly, "I can tuck you in… maybe rub your back…" She wasn't going to give up without some kind of fight she decided… god, he was gorgeous when he wore nothing but a faded pair of jeans…

Reaching the bottom of the stairs, he turned and noticed that Sam had taken off her shirt and was slowly unzipping her pants… with an inner strength he didn't think he had, he fought the urge to give into his base desires… his body was hard and screaming YES… but his heart… it was trying to tell him something totally different…

Sam knew she almost had him… she leaned down and pressed her lips to his and hooked a slim finger in the waistband of his jeans and pulled his body into hers.

A knock on the door freed Jason from the spell of lust that Sam had been working on him.

"What!" He bellowed… how bad could this day possibly get… he thought with a grimace and tried to gain control over his body.

"Oh… I'm sorry… I didn't know…"

At the sound of a familiar voice so soft… so sad… Jason spun around in surprise…

"Carly?" He saw the wounded stare in her eyes and the anger quickly replaced it.

What right did she have to be mad at him he thought… letting his unwanted lust take another direction… He didn't even think… he just let the anger that he had held in check all day rise to the surface…

"Damn it Carly… can't you ever leave him alone?" Sam hissed as she stepped around the silent man standing in front of her, "I mean… I'm sure what ever you have done can wait a day or two… or how about you just try and get out of it all by yourself for once…"

Carly stood silently and counted to ten to keep her impulses in check, "I need to speak to you Jason… now… and Sam if I were you I would keep my mouth shut because you really don't want to start something with me right now…"

Remembering Carly's rude dismissal the night before and the cold shoulder she had been giving to him for weeks Jason fought the urge to lose his patience… and lost… tired and frustrated Jason finally snapped letting his anger out in full force.…

"Carly… I am busy… Why don't you go and get Jax to take care of whatever you have gotten yourself into… or could it be that he already knows and has bailed out on you again?" Jason folded his arms across his chest and waited impatiently.

As Sam slid her arms around Jason's waist and sent a smug smile of satisfaction toward her rival for Jason's attention, Carly let her emotions get the better of her and let her pride take over.

Standing up straight and raising her chin, Carly stared Jason straight in the eyes and nodded, "I see… it's funny Jase, all these years we have fought for each other… beside each other… and everyone told you I would destroy you… I guess they were wrong, huh?"

With that cryptic message she gave him a sad little smile and walked out the door never looking back…


	8. Chapter 8

Thanks for the reviews!!!! I am trying to stay focused on the "romance" but it's hard when there is a lot of story going on around them… I am going to have to pull an "AMC" and get rid of the extras I guess LOL. I am not sure I like this chapter, but I think it's a pivotal point between Jason and Carly.

Enjoy! Serendipity

FYI- Please disregard incorrect medical information- I'm a dreamer, not a doctor : )

Chapter 8- Piece by Piece

"_Carly… look… just tell me what's going on. I'll do what I can to fix it… Give me a call."_

Sitting there in the cold examination room Carly replayed the message Jason had left on her phone over and over again.

The only sound of emotion in his voice had been irritation and not first the first time she wondered when she had become a burden to him.

After leaving his penthouse she had driven around for hours. Not wanting to go home, but not knowing where to go. Where had they fallen apart? Their friendship had survived so much that she had always taken for granted that it was indestructible. But ever since Samantha McCall had come into their lives it was as if piece by piece the foundation that kept them solid came crumbling down.

It always came back to Sam. The woman who had slept with Sonny, then carried his child while Carly had still been married to him… the woman who Jason had lied for without hesitation even though he barely knew her. She had forgiven him for lying to her in her mind over and over, but there was a piece of her heart that had died that day. From that moment things would never be the same. She had even tried to accept Sam as part of his life, but now it was just too hard to pretend that it didn't bother her. Because of Sam Carly felt like she was losing the one person who had never let her down, the one person who felt most like the other half of her.

He used to laugh at her crazy PLANS, used to shake his head in frustration as she flirted shamelessly with him, but a smile had always been on his face. Now it felt like he treated her with more of a resigned acceptance… like he was resigning himself to a stray cat that would never leave once he had feed it a few times.

Would he be disgusted if he remembered the one night they had shared? Would he view their night of passion as he did Sam's night with Ric?

A knock on the door brought her out of her misery.

"Mrs. Corinthos?

Carly sat up straighter on the exam table and tried to give Dr. Lee her full attention.

"Well… Congratulations are in order… you are indeed pregnant. My chart based on your last menstrual cycle has you at about 9 weeks; which is why we didn't pick up on it the last visit…" Glancing down at her chart the young doctor bit her lip in concentration.

"Ok… So what is it you're not saying? You don't seem too enthusiastic about giving me my results. Is something wrong? I can tell something's wrong…" Carly felt her heart racing tried desperately to fight the panic building. Nervousness and tension seemed to radiate of the doctor as she kept her eyes on the chart in front of her.

"Well… although at the moment you and your baby are not in any danger, I can't say that I am pleased with some of your blood work results. Your blood pressure is higher than we like to see at this point, which based on your medical history, could cause problems further on in your pregnancy." Dr. Lee closed the chart and tried to reassure her patient with a smile, but it didn't quite meet her eyes.

"Ok… so what? I mean, do I drink more water? No salty foods? I mean, the no stress rule is a given… What can I do?" Carly laid her hands over her flat abdomen protectively.

"I don't need to tell you how high-risk high blood pressure can make this pregnancy. I'd like to start out with a positive attitude though. At this point all we can do really is monitor your blood pressure, put you on a low salt diet. The next three to five weeks are going to set the tone for this pregnancy." Looking Carly squarely in the eyes she continued, "While I am not thrilled with your history of pregnancy induced hyper-tension, I believe that there is a good chance you will carry this baby full term with minimal problems. So… for the next two months lets just take it a week at a time, ok?" Smiling again she quickly made a hasty retreat.

"Ok little one… I promise to give up all potato chips and French fries from here on out. You just concentrate on growing." Sliding of the table Carly quietly grabbed her purse and went to schedule her next appointment hoping that she wouldn't run into anyone she knew. It would be better for everyone involved if she kept her secret a little longer… at least until she knew for sure that the baby would be ok.

Across town

"Everything is working out just like I planned… PCPD has received several anonymous tips that will keep Corinthos busy for the next few days which will give us time to get my shipment in to two safely." Lorenzo Alcazar smiled into the phone as he congratulated himself.

"I don't care a about your damn shipment. When can you take him out?" The voice on the other end replied viciously.

"My, my… aren't you just a tad bit bloodthirsty? I'll remove him as soon as you uphold your part of the deal." Lorenzo laughed at the sound of frustration in the other person's voice.

"I don't suppose you'd take out some extra baggage along with him?"

"I've already told you that is not an option. I will not make any moves in that direction. Are we clear?" Waiting for an affirmative reply Alcazar tapped his fingers impatiently. Why he was working with such a loose cannon he would never know. Finally getting the response he desired he promised to be in touch and hung up… Port Charles was about to get interesting.

Tiredly Carly walked through her front door. How she was supposed to remain stress free she didn't know… Between trying to figure the right time to break it off with Jax, which would be the honorable thing to do, and trying to figure out how to tell Jason that they had slept together and that she was now carrying his child, well, she just couldn't stop panicking. What could she say, "Hey Jason the night we slept together… the night you don't remember, well, Congratulations! Your going to be a dad." Somehow she didn't think that would go over to well.

This child, that was a miracle and blessing to her, would hurt so many people on so many levels…

"I'm home…" She called throwing her purse down on the coffee table.

For a person with so much on her mind, it went amazingly blank when Lulu walked out of her kitchen with Jason not three steps behind.

"Hey Car! I was just telling Jason about Edward's reaction to the "baby" news." Lulu looked so happy and free that for a single second Carly envied her.

"Hi. You never called me back." Jason stared at Carly intensely, frowning at the dark circles of fatigue showing beneath her eyes.

"Lulu, would you mind going to pick us up pizza for dinner? You can take the Jeep." Carly smiled pleadingly and motioned to the keys on the key rack by the door.

"Uh… sure. Two cheese pizzas coming right up! Thanks Again Jason for listening to my madness!" Lulu was so thrilled to be driving that she was out the door before Jason could even respond.

"I guess it's obvious that we needed privacy?" He tried to joke, but somehow it came out flat. It was like a kick in the stomach when Carly didn't even crack a smile or make a comeback with some smart-ass remark. Had he really pissed her off so bad?

Raising a hand in silent appeal Carly forced the lump back down her throat, "Jason before you say anything, I want to apologize to you. I never meant to become a stray cat on your doorstep. I won't be a burden to you anymore… I never wanted to be one…"

Jason was expecting a lot of things, but that wasn't one of them, "Where is this coming from? What have you gotten yourself into this time? You're my friend not a burden and you know I'll fix it, whatever it is."

"That's just it Jase. I didn't get myself into anything." Carly smiled sadly, "Can you remember the last time we talked and you actually listened to anything I had to say? I mean really listened to me… because I can't."

"What do mean?" Jason placed his hands on his hips in frustration, "I listen to you all the time."

"No Jason. You humor me… you put up with me and then you get this look… this look of disappointment in your eyes as if I've let you down one more time, like you were so disappointed to have to bail me out of another "Crazy Carly" scheme. It's like you're becoming a stranger… you've changed Jase and I am going to lose you." Carly felt the tears begin to trickle down her cheeks and she didn't try to hide them.

Jason couldn't stand to see the strongest woman he knew fall to pieces. Walking towards her he tried to pull her into his arms, but she held him back.

"I don't know what's happened to make you feel this way… I haven't changed Carly… I'm still here… What can I do to fix this?" He felt his heart constrict painfully when the she began to cry harder.

"I want to hear you say you forgive me Jase. I need you to forgive me for what I did to us."

"Carly, that was ten years ago… it doesn't matter anymore. I thought we'd both moved on." Jason felt tears stinging his own eyes and pulled her resisting body against his own.

Carly laughed softly through her tears and pulled away, "Doesn't it? Have we? I can't do it anymore… I can't pretend that it never happened…"

Jason fought to find the right words, knowing that all he needed to say was that he forgave her for sleeping with Sonny, but the words wouldn't come.

Carly knew he thought she was talking about the night she had slept with Sonny, but in truth she was referring to that night they had shared, the night they had conceived the child that she was now carrying. The night he didn't remember. Placing a hand on either side of his face she looked into his eyes and willed him to remember.

"Jason, what do you want from me?" Carly searched his eyes for any hint of remembrance.

Frozen and unable to make his brain function Jason took a deep breath, "I want you to be happy, and I want us to be friends again… I want us to be ok."

Stepping away from him she smiled sadly, "I don't see how… too much has changed…"

Frustrated Jason ran a hand through his hair, "What's changed? What are you talking about? You can tell me anything Carly… just tell me what's going on here."

"I used to think that we could trust each other and that we told each other everything that really mattered to us. So I am going to ask you only one time… Is there something that you haven't told me Jason? Something that I am not supposed to know because either you think it will hurt me or that I won't be able to handle it?" Carly wanted him to tell her Liz was pregnant with his child… she wanted him to be honest with her at least about that.

"No… Ok, the night of the black-out Sam slept with Ric… You don't seem surprised so I guess Sonny must have told you, huh? And now you're angry because I didn't tell you. Is that what this is about?"

"Forget it… let's just call it a night ok? I just can't think about this right now." Carly was too tired and her head was pounding. So much for avoiding stress she thought bitterly.

"I can't leave until you say we're ok…" Jason was determined to make things right, "What can I do to make things right?"

"Leave… just leave." Carly turned and went up the stairs to her bedroom as fast as she could, tears streaming down her face.

A silent Jason turned to the door and fought the impulse to chase after her. He didn't know what had just happened, but he knew that he had missed something… something very important.

Lulu nearly ran into the silent figure leaving her cousin's house.

"Hey, Jason," Lulu froze in her tracks at the sight of Jason's face, "Are you ok?"

His quick nod was the only he answer he gave as he climbed into his car and drove away.

Lulu stood holding two pizzas on the sidewalk for five minutes trying to decide what it was about Jason's face that had bothered her. And then she realized he had been crying.

Jason Morgan was a cold-blooded killer for the mob- he didn't cry…

Hang in there… good things come to those who put up with crappy writing and transitional chapters : )


	9. Chapter 9

The sun is shining and I am full of optimism… that said thanks for the reviews! I always feel like I have made the "Best-Seller" list when readers enjoy reading…

I'M THE QUEEN OF PORT CHARLES!!!! Ok, enough with the crazy… Seriously, thanks for the support! Serendipity

Chapter 9- Riding the Tide

Knocking gently on her cousin's door Lulu hesitantly opened it and peeked into the dark bedroom.

"Carly? It's me Lulu… Are you ok?"

When there was no response she moved quietly into the room and glanced around. Carly hadn't been downstairs, maybe she went out back. Turning to leave a sound from the bathroom caught her attention.

Without a thought she knocked briskly on the closed door, "Carly, open up… I know something's wrong and it's starting to freak me out…"

A muffled response came from behind the door, "Come…Come in… It's n-n-not locked…"

Lulu could tell that Carly was trying to talk through her tears .What she found upon opening the door made her feel much worse and her anxiety over Carly's welfare doubled. Taking in the limp form lying next to the toilet she rushed in dropping to her knees next to the crying woman.

"Oh my god! Are you ok… are you sick? Dumb question… Of course you're sick… What's wrong? Should I call someone? Was Jason upset because you're sick? Is it something bad?" Lulu barely paused for breath as she anxiously studied Carly's pale face.

Catching the fear in Lulu's eyes she sat up slowly, pulling in deep breaths trying to calm herself.

"I'm fine… really… I'm ok… Please don't get upset…" Carly tried to smile reassuringly, "Oh Lulu, I have screwed up so bad… Everyone always said that I was going to be the one to destroy Jason… that I was going to hurt him… they were right in a way… I've destroyed both of us and he doesn't even know it." Carly sighed and slowly sat up brushing damp tendrils of hair out of her face.

"I am sure it's not that bad… what ever happened… It's ok if you don't want to tell me, but I think it would make you feel better, and I promise that no matter what it is, I won't judge you… you have to know that." Lulu smiled and took Carly's hand.

Carly took a deep breath and began to talk quietly, she knew that if she didn't "The night of the black out, well, I went over to Jason's. We had a few too many drinks, played some pool… and then we slept together…"

Carly stopped and waited for the disgust to show on Lulu's face, but it never came. Instead Lulu smiled, "Well, it's about damn time… I can't count how many times I've thought you two should just do it and get it over with…"

Carly pulled her hand away from Lulu and grabbed a Kleenex to blow her nose, "I swear if I had known that this was going to happen… It didn't plan it, I swear. Lulu….you have to believe me… and he doesn't even remember it happened."

"What? Come on, you've got to be kidding. No wonder you're upset. Wait… are you sure? He's not just using that as an excuse because of guilt or some stupid "guy" thing is he?"

"No, he really doesn't remember and I am so scared… I'm scared that if he remembers he'll hate me… that he'll think I took advantage of the situation."

"Did you?" Lulu asked, "And if you say you feel like you did I will smack you. I know we haven't been all that close, but Carly… I can see how much Jason means to you… and I know that you would never take advantage of him… and I'm sure he knows it to. I mean, it was one night and it's not like you're pr…"

"I'm pregnant." Carly blurted out, unable to keep it inside for another second.

"Oh…" Lulu stopped in mid-sentence and her jaw dropped, "You're pregnant… and Jason's the father… and he really doesn't remember that you guys were together… oh. OH! Carly… OK… life isn't over, we can do this… we can fix this. Everything is going to be ok… Don't get mad, but I have to ask, could the baby be Jax's?"

"No, and I'm not mad, I don't blame you for asking. I just wish I could believe that everything would be ok, but I just don't see how. Jason doesn't want me… not like that. He'll think I did it on purpose… Oh god! Everyone is going to say I trapped him…" Carly started to cry again.

"Stop it. This isn't good for the baby..." Lulu took Carly's hand again and frowned in concentration. There had to be a way to fix this. "Hey… you do realize that our kids are going to be about the same age… that's pretty cool right? Everything will be ok, we just need to figure out how you are going to tell Jason"

Carly shook her head desperately, "I can't, I can't tell him… not yet anyway… What if I lose the baby? I will have destroyed our friendship for nothing… and it would kill him to lose another child."

Something in her tone caught Lulu's attention. "Wait. Why would you say that? Carly, have you gone to the doctor yet… Is something wrong with the baby?"

Carly sighed with a nod, "Dr. Lee said my blood pressure was too high… I might not be able to have this baby… What am I going to do if I lose this baby? I mean, there was a time when all I wanted was to have his baby…"

Lulu felt tears sting her eyes and she pulled the older woman into a tight embrace offering silent comfort and strength.

Carly didn't fight the need to find comfort and held on tight to the younger girl, who despite having her own problems, had unselfishly given her support.

"Ok… Jason, I just got of the phone with Hector Ramirez, he is going to hold off on making any decisions regarding his shipments until we can offer proof that we have everything in control. I don't need to tell you how badly things could start to go if he jumps ship, so I've scheduled a meeting with him tomorrow night. With Alexis in chemo and Ric being such a bastard, I can't leave town, so you're going to have to handle this on your own."

Jason knew that this meeting was important, but he couldn't fight his desire to stay in town and make things right with Carly. He hated leaving things as they were at the moment, but maybe she just needed time to calm down and little and he needed time to figure out what had happened between them.

"Ok, that's not a problem, I'll smooth everything over and we can all get back to business." Jason stood up to leave and asked, "When is the last time you talked to Carly? Has she seemed upset about something lately to you?"

Sonny looked up in surprise, "Actually, aside from the few times I've picked up the kids or she's dropped them off, we haven't really had a chance to talk."

Running a hand through his dark hair he continued, "I guess with everything going on I should've realized that something might be going on with her… she has been pretty quiet lately, hasn't she?"

Jason gave him a silent nod, "I just… I just think something is going on, she won't tell me and I can't figure it out."

Puzzled Sonny, a worried expression on his face, he sat down behind his desk, "You think it's got something to do with Jax? He's been leaving town a lot. Maybe… things aren't going good. Maybe I should talk to her. I swear if he hurt her…" He trailed off as his temper started to rise. He and Carly might not be together, but that didn't mean he didn't love her and he didn't want to see her get hurt.

"I don't know. No offense, but I don't think she's going to talk to you when she won't even talk to me." He didn't add that Sonny wasn't in any position to judge Jax, he had hurt her too many times and worse than Jax ever could.

They discussed Carly a few more minutes and decided to get back to business. Sonny had no idea anymore than he did about what was going on with Carly. Which was fine since Jason didn't feel comfortable talking to Sonny about Carly… or about how ever since he had walked out her door he felt as if someone had cut him in two.

Three weeks later

Carly stood behind the bar at the Metro Court glancing through her paperwork. The same paperwork she had been dealing with for two days.

She tried to focus on her work, she really did, but her thoughts always came back to the same thing.

Two weeks, five days, seven hours and 45 minutes ago Jason had left her house and she hadn't seen or heard from him since. Of course, the fact that he had left down the next day and hadn't returned yet could have had something to do with it.

Sonny had shown up on her doorstep the day Jason had left town to find out what was going on. He repeatedly asked her if Jax had done something to upset her, to which she had to reply no because he had been getting ready to rush off to Australia to bail Jerry out AGAIN…

Then he had jumped to the conclusion that she was up to something… Why they always just assumed she was into mischief she had no idea.

After promising that she was ok, she had been relieved when he had left. How would he react if he knew that his ex-wife was carrying the child of his best friend and partner?

Sighing she gave up any attempt at getting work done. Her mind and heart just weren't in it. Picking up a baby furniture catalog that she had discarded earlier she began to browse through it. Yesterday she, Lulu and Dillon had gone for her first ultrasound. What an event!

They had been just about to get started when Luke had burst through the door.

_Lulu's Appointment_

"Am I too late? Did I miss it?" Luke was panting out of breath and hanging on the door frame.

"Dad? What are you doing here? I thought you said you couldn't come." Lulu was so surprised and happy to see him that she didn't know whether to laugh or to cry.

"Well… A guy can change his mind can't he? Did I miss it? Move over Spielberg… Caroline," He gave Carly a nod and scooted Dillon out of the way so he could be close to Lulu.

Dr. Lee, who was also Lulu's doctor had laughed and shut the door behind him telling him that the show was about to begin.

"Awww, come on Luke, this is my baby… How come you get the better view?" Dillon was more than a little disgruntled at being pushed aside.

"Yeah… well, this is MY baby… Is it ok that I'm here?" Luke asked with a twinge of nervousness in his voice.

Lulu smiled through the sparkling tears in her eyes, "Yea dad, I'm glad you're here."

Kissing her hand and squeezing it tightly, he laughed, "Come on ladies, don't be getting all emotional on me… now Caroline… Lesley Lu has hormones as an excuse to be weepy… you don't, so quit it all ready."

Lulu's eyes met Carly's and they both smiled a secret smile at each other.

"Oh… Mrs. Corinthos is entitled to use that same excuse, so just cut them both some slack…" Dr. Lee had been preparing to do the ultrasound and didn't see the questioning arch of Luke's eyebrow and the paleness of Carly's face.

"Ok, Lulu this is going to be cold… here we go…" Dr. Lee smiled as she placed the monitor on Lulu's slightly rounding stomach.

And that had been the end of what could have been a very stressful interview from Luke. She had let out a sigh of relief and prayed that he forgot all about it.

All eyes quickly focused on the screen as a little glob came into view. No one said a word as the doctor pointed out various body parts, except for the random comments and questions about what they were looking at. And then it was time for the moment of truth…

"Are you sure you want to know the baby's sex?" Dr. Lee teased.

Four voices shouted YES! At the same time and the room burst out in laughter.

"Lulu… Dillon… congratulations… It's a boy…"

"I'm having a boy…" Lulu smiled through her tears.

"I'm going to have a son…" Dillon smiled and wiped the moisture from his eyes.

Carly would never forget Luke's reaction though; he hadn't said a word as tears streamed unabashedly down his face. He had kissed his daughter's forehead and smiled a smile so full of love and pride that he didn't need to say any words.

What a day! They had all headed over to Kelly's to celebrate after that. It had been a nice afternoon until Lucky and Liz had shown up. Not that she had anything against Lucky, but it had irritated her to no end that Liz was smiling up at Lucky as if she wasn't standing there pregnant with another man's child.

Once upon a time Carly wouldn't have thought twice about calling Liz on her bullshit in front of everyone, but now not only would she not spoil Lulu's day, but for some reason because the other man was Jason, she just couldn't do it. Instead she had ignored the blooming mother and focused on Lulu. Then Leticia had brought the boys in and her attention was held until it was time to go home.

That was something else she had been worrying about… the boys. Morgan was young enough to not understand yet what was going to happen, but Michael would notice when she started to show.

Sighing she picked up her paperwork and headed for her office. It was almost time for her own check-up and she was anxious to make sure everything was going ok.

So absorbed in her thoughts she didn't even notice that she was being watched by eyes full of hatred.

Transitions again…lol I just want to get to one place… and I am working steadily toward it!


	10. Chapter 10

Here we go… thanks again for the reviews… let's get moving on…

Chapter 10- The Tide Begins to Turn

"So how are we feeling today?" Dr. Lee studied her patient for any signs of anxiety or distress.

"Tired, but that comes with the territory. So, what did the tests show? Are we ok?" Carly fumbled nervously with the bracelet on her wrist.

"First things first, let's go ahead and see if we can't listen to the heartbeat. Next time you come in I think it might be a good idea to have an ultrasound just to check everything out."

Lying back on the table, Carly bit her lip in distress. She knew that her doctor was avoiding the question. She was a master at the art of avoidance and evasion.

Soon the reassuring sound of a heartbeat could be heard throughout the small room. It was faint, but it was there.

Carly let her breath out in a sigh of relief; she hadn't even realized that she had been holding it.

Putting the fetal monitor down, Dr. Lee cleaned of the goop on Carly's stomach and tried to figure out the best way to approach the nervous mother-to-be. She decided to go for the direct route.

"Ok, I realize that you probably prefer me not to beat around the bush here. You've lost weight since I last saw you and frankly you look like the smallest breeze could blow you over. You're blood pressure is still too high. I don't need to tell you that it is important to minimize your stress level and get plenty of rest. At this point it is safe to say that you have a condition called PIH, or Pregnancy Induce Hyper-tension."

Carly felt her stomach tighten in fear, "Is my baby at risk?"

"I know I sound like the bringer of doom and gloom. But, I want to put strong emphasis on the fact that if your blood pressure continues to rise we might end up putting you on bed rest and though you won't want to hear it, it could come down to you or the baby… I know that this puts a lot of added pressure on you, but I want you to be prepared in case our options become limited. For now we are going to put you on a safe blood-pressure medication, a form of magnesium sulfate to try and control your blood pressure. I strongly urge you to discuss the situation with the father because he does need to know that we are going to consider this a high-risk pregnancy."

"Dr. Lee I appreciate your honesty, I really do and I realize that there is only so much you can do for me and the rest is up to God… But, I want you to do whatever it takes to make sure this baby comes first. I will sign whatever I need to sign, do whatever I have to for this child. If I have to go to China or Europe to see some kind of specialist, I'll do it… Nothing else matters but this baby."

Tears of frustration filled her eyes and Carly wiped them away impatiently, "Just tell me what to do."

Dr. Lee felt bad for the other woman, she really did, but if they couldn't keep the problem under control, it wouldn't matter where she went or what she did, both mother and child would still be in danger.

Jason pulled in a deep breath of the salty night air. It was good to be back in Port Charles. For the last three weeks he had been all over the world it seemed… Florida, Puerto Rico, even Brazil. It seemed like when ever one fire had been put out another would ignite somewhere. Something fishy was indeed going on and it had Alcazar's name all over it.

His gut instinct told him to put a bullet between the guy's eyes, but it all came down to Sonny. He had to be the one to make that decision. Someone had been giving Alcazar and his flunkies information. Critical information that allowed him to be just one step ahead of them every time. Jason would put his money on Ric Lansing being the one behind Alcazar's sudden ability to get past them and it was a damn shame that Sonny wouldn't let him take him out either.

Taking his mind off work he focused his attention on his other problem… Carly. He didn't know what it would take to make things right, but not talking to her, not seeing her… it was making him crazy. No matter what he did, no matter what was going on, it was her face he saw before he went to sleep and it was her face he thought of as soon as he woke up. He tried to tell himself that Sam was the one he loved but it all came back to Carly. He couldn't imagine not having her in his life. It wasn't about just wanting her in his life. He NEEDED her in his life.

Her laughter, her smile… her PLANS…

Flashes of her smiling up at him with passion in her eyes had become more and more regular lately. Was his subconscious mind trying to tell him something?

Tonight he would go over to her house and talk to her and he would do whatever it took to make sure that she was back in his life.

Sitting behind her desk Carly searched the internet looking for anything and everything that might give her information on PIH. Sometimes knowledge wasn't so good because the words "placenta abruption", "Seizures", "Poor Fetal Growth" and worse "Death" kept popping out.

How could she tell Jason about this baby when so much could go wrong? She knew she wouldn't be able to hide it forever, but for now it was the only way she could spare him the same pain and agony she was going through at the moment.

She didn't know how long she had been staring at nothing, but she must have been completely absorbed in her thoughts because the phone rang three times before she even heard it.

As soon as she had picked it up with a terse greeting, Lulu burst into sobs.

"Carly… I don't want to wear a Moo-moo…" Came the sniffling voice on the other end.

"Calm down Lulu and tell me what's wrong." Having been pregnant before Carly had a good idea what was coming next.

"I can't fit in my clothes… my jeans… I have boobs Carly… boobs… the baby is taking over my body…" Was Lulu's dramatic outburst, "I absolutely refuse to look like a beached whale… I will not wear a Moo-moo, I refuse…"

"OK. Take a deep breath and calm down. I want you to meet me at the mall. There are several stores there that we will be able to find something other than a Moo-moo. Times have changed… I mean, do actually see me dressing in anything remotely unfashionable?" For the first time that day Carly smiled. She could use a distraction and this would be more fun than staring at a computer screen.

_hours later_

"Oh my gosh… I am exhausted… I don't think I will be going back to the mall until after the baby is here…" Lulu collapsed with a smile onto the couch.

"Just what until you start buying clothes and little baby stuff… you'll be going back and it will be a lot worse." Carly sank to into the stuffed recliner next to her with a sigh.

"You know you really didn't have to buy all that stuff for me… Nikolas gave me money yesterday. Edward and Tracy BOTH, if you can believe it, slipped me money when they thought no one was looking…" Lulu laughed feeling lighter then she had in months. Today had been a perfect day.

Part of her had been sad because she had always imagined that she would be doing this kind of stuff with her mom… Carly must have sensed it because she was careful to maintain her role as friend and cousin…

"Carly would it be really mushy for me to say that I am SO glad that you're my cousin… and well, sometimes I feel like you're more like an older sister… I guess what I am trying to say is, thanks… for everything." Lulu looked down with pink cheeks, embarrassed just a little about her speech.

"Sweetie, it is my pleasure. I never had a brother or sister, well if you don't count Lucas, and I'd like to think that if I did she would have been exactly like you… Plus I am keeping my finger crossed that I'll be able to get into some of those tops." Carly smiled back at the younger woman.

"Anyone home?"

Both girls turned and groaned as Luke walked in the door caring what could only be two large pizzas.

"What? I thought you ladies would appreciate dinner after a long afternoon of shopping. I've heard rumors that stores all over Port Charles will never be the same…. Hello Princess…" Luke dropped a kiss on Lulu's head as he set the pizzas on the coffee table.

"So what's in the other bags?" Lulu asked reaching moving her shopping bags off the couch.

"Ah, this bag my dear is for Lucas III… and this one is not for young mothers…" Luke dropped one bag in Lulu's lap and pulled a six pack of beer from the other. With a dramatic sigh of pleasure he dropped onto the couch next to Lulu popping the top off with a keychain bottle opener.

Shyly Lulu stared down at the bag in her lap. She was both pleased and surprised that her father had bought something for the baby, and she could tell that even though he was acting nonchalant he was nervous about making such a gesture.

"Oh my…" Lulu burst out in to peals of laughter as she pulled out the tiniest Hawaiian print shirt that she had ever seen.

"I bought one in my size so we can go kick back sometime… maybe runs some scams, break a few hearts… you know, manly Spencer-Men things."

"What is this?" Lulu eyes fell on the tiny box at the bottom of the bag. Opening it up she rolled her eyes and held it up for Carly to see. Inside were the smallest silver loops that she had ever seen."

"Well, we have to match." Luke shrugged with a sheepish grin, "I had to buy two of them, but it doesn't hurt to have a spare. Oh… where are my manners."

Grabbing another beer out of the six pack Luke offered it to Carly.

"Uh… no thanks. I'm not in the mood for beer tonight." She refused politely.

However, Luke was determined, "Well, I could whip you up a cocktail or get you some wine from that swanky wine cellar in your basement."

"No… really, I think I am going to just have some water. I'll just get something when I grab some plates and napkins from the kitchen. Carly jumped up and headed for the kitchen. But Luke's next comment froze her in her tracks.

"Caroline… is there some particular reason you aren't partaking in an alcoholic beverage…" Luke asked taking a swig of his beer.

"Just not in the mood…" She mumbled and reached for the kitchen door.

"So tell me what's going on at the Q's… How's my step-monster?" Lulu tried to cover, but look would not be side-tracked.

"It wouldn't happen to be an excuse for hormonal outbursts would it? You know, similar to the one my sweet little girl is experiencing?" Luke arched an eyebrow waiting for a response from his niece.

Cursing Dr. Lee under her breath, Carly turned and faced her uncle, "Ok… Luke… I am going to let you in on a little family secret… and I am going to step out on a limb here and trust you with it… You're right… I'm pregnant."

"I figured that was the reason you looked as if you were going to lose your lunch the other day in the doc's office… So, who's the lucky father… a certain hunky, Aussie blonde or are you be giving the Port Charles Mob King another heir to the throne?" Luke had never been the most tactful at best and his comment earned a hit over the head with a pillow from Lulu.

Carly didn't smile, didn't even attempt to respond. She just turned and walked out of the room with no expression at all.

"That's great… she trusts you with something so important and you make a joke…" Lulu frowned at her father with disappointment.

"Awww, come on… I know it's Jax's baby… I was only kidding around… Wait, wait a second… why do you look so worried… could it be that my darling niece has been playing around when the playboy's out of town? Is that why there's a need for secrecy?" Luke sat up smelling a scandal in the making.

"I am only going to say this once… Let it go… Carly doesn't need the stress… part of the reason for the secrecy is that the pregnancy isn't going to be an easy one. So, for me, please just drop it and pretend you don't know anything about it." Lulu pleaded with her father hoping to reach through his need for excitement.

Luke agreed to silence and after Lulu went into the kitchen in search of plates, napkins and Carly, who had mysteriously vanished, they settled down in front of the television making small talk and eating pizza. Neither one knew that they were both silently worrying about the same person and the child she carried.

SPOILERS:

Jason apologizes, what will Carly do?

A father is revealed.

Ric is full of surprises.


	11. Chapter 11

Thanks for the great reviews. I am going to attempt to move forward here… please excuse any discrepancies with medical technology, storyline, and/or pregnancy details… for the sake of the story some things may be altered to keep the story flowing, but I am doing as much research as my time will allow to keep it as accurate as possible.

Serendipity

Chapter 11 Time

"Carly?"

Feeling her heart drop to the pit of her stomach Carly forgot to breathe, "Jase?"

"Look, I understand if you don't want to talk to me… I just… I was hoping that maybe we could talk. Are you there?"

Closing her eyes tight Carly re-opened them and tried to clear her throat, "I'm here. What do you want to talk about?"

"I realize that I am not the best with words and sometimes I can be pretty clueless… Do you think you could meet me at Jake's tonight? Please."

The nervous edge to Jason's voice pulled on her heartstrings. How could she deny him, "I'm going to be at the Metro Court until six and the boys are at Sonny's… Would that be ok?"

"Yeah… I'll see you then."

Carly hung up her cell phone and stared at it in silence. Maybe tonight would be a good time to tell him about their one night stand. But even if she did that, should she tell him about the baby? Chewing on her bottom lip she weighed the Pros and Cons.

_knock, knock_

"Hey Carly, you got a moment?" Jax smiled hesitantly and stepped slowly into her office.

Staring at his handsome features she was just more than a little puzzled at the guilty expression she saw there. She was the one carrying another man's child, but he was the one looking guilty.

"Sure," Standing up she walked around her desk and gave him a quick hug, "I didn't think you were going to be back from New York until Monday."

"Umm, I wasn't supposed to be, but well, there isn't any way to sugarcoat this." Jax took her hand and stared into her eyes, "I was planning on this… but the thing, is… I can't marry you."

Instead of feeling the anger and hurt that he was obviously expecting, she just sat there in stunned silence.

Pulling away Jax starting pacing the floor and running his hand through is blonde tresses in agitation. "I know I am a real bastard… You can scream, throw things, whatever you want to do… I deserve a whole lot worse."

"Jax… stop, just stand still for a moment. I can't say I am not shocked… because I am, but I can say that I ok. Everything is ok because I can't marry you either." Carly's lip trembled as she smiled uncertainly back at him.

"Is it Sonny? Is that, forget it… I have not right to say anything…" Jax sighed and took Carly into his arms.

"No it's not Sonny. However, I am curious as to your change of heart." Pulling back she stared into his pale blue eyes.

"Well, the thing is, I've met someone. In New York, she's… well, she pretty amazing and when I leave in an hour… well, I am not coming back."

Well, Carly thought cynically, I guess he was planning on this being a hit-and-run break up, never mind the fact that it was hardly flattering to think of herself as anything less than "Amazing". Oh well, whatever his reasons were she was glad that this was resolved. Maybe things were starting to fall into place…

"Ok… so you're leaving Port Charles. What about the Hotel? Or had you thought about that yet?" Carly pulled away and walked back behind her desk.

"Actually, I have had the paperwork done… and as a way to say thank you for loving me and teaching me to believe in love again, well, I have had the Hotel put completely in your name… no strings attached." Jax smiled and put his hands in his pockets.

Funny, she thought, he didn't have time to break-up with me properly, but he's taken care of all the legal paperwork to give away his half of a lucrative investment.

"A lot of woman would think that this was payment for services rendered," Arching a slim eyebrow she smiled as he began to squirm uncomfortably, "But, being the practical business woman I am, all I can say is thank you and wish you luck."

Promising that the paperwork would arrive within the next couple days, the Aussie walked out of Carly's life just as unexpectedly as he had walked in.

Alcazar glared at his partner, "I told you that we were doing this MY way… if you have a problem with it…" He knew he didn't need to finish his sentence.

"Fine… I just don't see why you had to leave town, why didn't you send someone else?"

"Because Skye is pregnant with my child… and you don't have to understand, you just do as I say." Lorenzo growled in anger. He hated it when anyone questioned his authority.

As he hung up the phone, not for the first time did he wonder if his accomplice was crazy. Why he had agreed to such a crazy idea, he would never know.

Across town his accomplice was smiling as they gave the awaiting thugs there orders. So what if Alcazar hadn't ordered it, a little fun was necessary sometimes.

5:30 PM

"Ugh! I can't believe I am going to be late," Carly mumbled digging through her purse in search of her car keys while she hurried through the Metro Court Lobby.

Not paying attention to where she was going she ran smack dab into a smaller more fragrant body.

"God, Carly, watch where you're going…" complained the small brunette standing in her path.

Carly narrowed her eyes at Liz and resisted the urge to make some kind of snarky remark. "I am obviously in a hurry whereas you are standing there doing nothing but looking frail and innocent, so common sense could say that you could've moved out of the way."

"Wow… such hospitality. Does Jax know that you are lacking in the customer service department? What's that pesky little saying… oh yeah, the CUSTOMER is always right…" Liz smirked smoothing an imaginary wrinkle out of her skirt.

That's it the gloves are off… Carly couldn't stop herself from commenting, "So you are actually a paying customer… I thought you might be standing around and waiting for someone's leftovers… or did you have a particular man in mind?"

"Actually, as if it's any of your business, I am waiting for Lucky… you know your cousin… the one you don't acknowledge." Liz looked flushed as she glowered at the tall blonde.

"My cousin? You mean the one walking in the door right now… the one that you don't have the guts to tell you're pregnant…" Carly said the word "pregnant" loud enough for Lucky to hear and stopped him in his tracks. Silently she looked up and waited for lightning to strike her for her hypocrisy.

"Pregnant? Liz, is there something you want to tell me?" Lucky walked up and stared intently at the silent and pale brunette whose jaw had dropped.

"How did you… Who told you?" Liz turned on Carly with a shriek and then turned quickly back to Lucky placing a hand on his arm, "I was waiting for the right time to tell you…"

"Oh, come on… Jason already knows…" Carly felt her anger rising.

"What does Jason have to do with anything?" Liz frowned, looking puzzled.

"Is the baby Jason's?" Lucky bellowed shaking the hand off his arm.

"NOOO! How could you even ask me that?" Tears welled up in the girl's eyes as she through herself at Lucky.

"That's some good acting… considering I saw you telling Jason your joyous news with my own two eyes…" Carly began.

"Look, I don't know what the hell you thought you saw, but I was telling Jason that I was pregnant with Lucky's baby… not that it's any of your business… so BUTT out!" Liz emphasized her anger by stomping a tiny foot in frustration.

Carly froze…. Could she have been wrong? Was Liz telling the truth? A feeling of warmth began to melt the ice surrounding her heart.

"Oh… so you could tell Jason you were pregnant before you could tell me, the father of your child…" Lucky began and the arguing couple never noticed Carly walking away with a dreamy smile on her face.

Hurrying she glanced at her watch… Damn, she was going to be late, but Jason would wait. She finally found her guys as she walked into the parking garage and started to dig her cell phone out of her purse to call Jason when a voice stopped her.

"Carly?"

"What!? What now?" she groaned and turning around she came face to face with Ric Lansing.

Raising his hands in an "I come in truce" gesture Ric hesitated and stepped out of the shadows.

"I know I am the last person you want to see right now, but you can get to Sonny and I can't…"

"Whatever Ric… you have some nerve even mentioning Sonny's name, let alone talking to me about him." Carly turned to walk towards her car.

"Wait, just wait! I know you have no reason to trust me, but a lot of people are going to get hurt… I am trying to prevent that." Ric glanced around as if expecting to be spied upon.

"Would you stop? You're making me nervous… So, I am supposed to believe that you are actually trying to something good instead of… I don't know… kidnapping pregnant women, taking advantage of vulnerable women sleeping, or sleeping with your wife's daughter" Carly snorted in disgust. She really didn't have time for this.

"How did you know? Look, I know that I have done bad things to a lot of people… but so have you… and I need you to trust me on this…"

A squeal of tires and the roar of a motor cut out the end of Ric's speech.

The next thing Carly knew she was being thrown to the ground and bullets were flying. A whoosh of pain escaped her as her knees and the palms of her hands made contact with pavement. When the parking garage was silent Carly tried to move, but realized there was a dead weight on top of her… Ric's dead weight.

"Oh god… Ric… Ric, are you ok? You can get off of me…" Carly grounded as she pushed him off of her.

A spot of bright red was beginning to seep through his dress shirt and he was having trouble breathing.

"Great… who did you piss off this time? Why did you come around me if someone was trying to kill you? Stay with me Ric, I'm going to call and ambulance." she groaned feeling the stinging sensation begin in her scraped flesh. Ignoring the pain she looked for her purse… a cold hand grabbed hers and tugged for attention.

"Not me… it was you…" Ric began to cough and Carly began to panic, Ric was bleeding heavily and her purse was three feet away.

"Stay still… I am going to get help." Carly's legs were shaking too bad to walk so she decided to crawl… her knees were already scraped and bleeding so what was a little more damage going to hurt.

Grabbing her phone out of her purse she went back to Ric's side. His color was fading and he looked at Carly and tried to smile, "Tell… Sonny that I was trying to fix things… tell Alexis and the girls that I love them ok…." His teeth began to chatter uncontrollably and Carly knew he was slipping into shock.

Pulling him onto her lap she tried to share her body heat, but she wasn't feeling to warm at the moment herself, "Come on Ric… hang in there… You have to live so you can hold saving my life over my head for the next sixty or so years…"

"I'm sorry…" Ric pleaded he began to cough up blood and she knew he didn't have long.

Her head begin to spin as she fumbled with the keys on her phone, "Help me… you've got to help me… I'm in the Metro Court parking garage- private parking… a man's been shot… I think he's dying…"

Tears of frustration started trickling down her cheeks as she glanced down.

"Hang on… just hang on…you have to tell me what's going on… please Ric… SOMEBODY HELP ME!!! I NEED HELP…." She screamed as loud as she could and finally people were rushing out from inside the hotel… two of them being Lucky and Liz… sirens could be heard in the background.

Lucky was asking her questions but she couldn't seem to focus on his voice… all she could do was look down into eyes that no longer held any sign of life.

"Carly… he's gone… let me take you over here… Come on, " Lucky could tell his cousin was in shock and remembering her breakdown he hoped that she could survive the obvious trauma she had just suffered. He slowly helped her to her feet and started to walk her over to her car.

"He saved me… he saved my life…" A wave of dark dizziness began to swallow her up and with it a sharp pain in her abdomen… The baby… she tried to focus, was she losing her child? That fear began take over and the shock took hold carrying her the rest of the way into an oblivion.

I might "tweek" this chapter some… let me know what you think.


	12. Chapter 12

Getting to the good stuff… Thanks for the reviews, suggestions and well, thanks for everything! There are some things that I am going to be doing in this story that might seem nuts, but please indulge me… I am working toward the greater good- JARLY!!!!

Serendipity

Chapter 12- Seeing Double

Drumming his fingers on the bar restlessly, Jason didn't need to look at his watch to know that she was late. Once he would have been confident that she was just being "fashionably" late, but everything was different now. Being insecure when it came to Carly was not something he was used to and he didn't like it.

Frustrated he picked up his beer and headed over to an empty pool table. Playing pool had always relaxed him, helped him to clear his head. Hopefully, she hadn't decided that he wasn't worth all this trouble and decided not to show…

As he started to rack the balls, he was overcome by realistic images of Carly sitting on the edge of his pool table, her long legs wrapped around his waist as he drove into her warm and willing body.

Sweat broke out on his forehead and his body was becoming painfully aroused… Closing his eyes another image surfaced… this time she was on top of him kissing his chest and licking a slow path towards his navel… Then in the back of his mind he could hear her small gasps of pleasure as he kissed her with an intense hunger.

As he opened his eyes he knew he couldn't deny what his mind had been trying to tell him anymore. These weren't just wild, random fantasies, but memories of an incredibly passionate and very real sexual encounter with Carly... his best friend, his partner in crime.

The shrill ring of his cell phone broke through his rioting emotions…

"Morgan."

"Calm down Lulu, what do you mean someone was in Carly's house? No, I haven't seen her… wait, no… you were right to call me… no just stay put…" Damn it…

Jason felt anger surge through him. Someone had trashed Carly's house and Lulu hadn't been able to find her… and of course she wasn't with him, so where in the hell was she?

Dialing another number he barked orders into the phone, "Milo… I want you to go to Carly's house pick up Lulu and take her to the penthouse… I want you to stay with her and make sure that she's comfortable."

The next call he made was to Carly's phone and his heart dropped when her voicemail picked up… Where was she?

Carly groaned and tried to open her eyes. The voice sounded so close, yet so far away and she couldn't understand what it was saying. The only things she was aware of were the twinges of pain in her abdomen and sharp throbbing in her head.

"The baby…" she whimpered trying to pull herself out of the fog that surrounded her.

"Carly? You need to stay calm… you're ok. I'm right here…"

"Momma? I can't lose my baby…" Carly felt tears rolling down her cheeks unchecked. Why was her mother here?

"Carly? I want you to open you're eyes… Please, Michael and Morgan are ok… Your not going to lose your babies, no one is going to take them away, I promise you're safe now."

Focusing on the sound of that familiar voice, she blinked rapidly and fought against the pounding in her head.

The light was bright, but she managed to open her eyes slightly. Her mother was standing over her looking so worried that Carly wanted nothing more than to reassure her, to make everything ok.

"I'm sorry… I never meant to disappoint you again… It was only once… just once…" Carly pleaded with her mother to understand. She knew that her mother wouldn't approve of Carly's actions and if she knew that she was pregnant…

"It's ok… I am ok. You didn't hurt me. Look at me Carly… I am fine. You didn't disappoint anyone, ok" Bobbie reassured her as she tenderly brushed the hair away from her daughter's face and eyes.

"Please… don't let Jason hate me… I don't want him to hate… He has to see, I didn't plan it…" Carly begged through her tears trying frantically to grab at Bobbie's hand.

"Hey, hey, Jason could never hate you… I'm sure he's going to burst through that door any moment now and he'll tell you himself…"

Carly groaned as her world swam crazily around her. If only her head would stop hurting then she could explain what happened, then she could make her mother see that it hadn't been intentional.

Bobbie stared down at the pale face of her child. She was so afraid. Afraid that she had lost her daughter again and Carly had suffered another break from reality.

"Momma? Ric is dead. He saved me." Carly whispered never opening her eyes and letting the dark carry her away again.

Quietly Bobbie wiped the tears from her cheeks and sat back down on the chair beside the gurney and waited for a physician. Carly seemed to settle down after her last statement, her breath came out in tiny hiccups as she settled into sleep. When Carly had been brought in her clothes had been covered in blood and unconscious, and no one had been able to ask her about what had happened.

"Oh sweetie, what happened to you?" Bobbie whispered aloud her heart aching for her child.

Jason paid his tab and turned to walk out of Jake's. Carly hadn't been at her office and she still wasn't answering her cell.

"Hey Morgan, you might want to hear this…" Coleman shouted above the music playing from the jukebox as he gestured to the television over the bar. Lifting the remote he turned the volume up and listened to the special news bulletin.

… _earlier this evening a drive by shooting occurred in the parking garage of the Metro Court. At this time the only information we can release to the general public is that there has been at least one casualty and another victim has been rushed to General Hospital, but we are unsure if…_

Coleman turned to ask Jason if he'd heard from that feisty blonde of his, but the silent man was already out the door.

"Oh, I'm sorry I didn't know anyone was in here with her." An orderly explained as he burst through the door with a portable ultrasound machine in tow, followed by Dr. Lee close on his heels.

"What's going on? Dr. Lee?" Bobbie shook her head and broke out of her dazed reverie.

"Normally, I would ask you to leave the room, but since you are the patient's mother, I can make an exception in this case. I am going to be doing an ultrasound on Carly. Now in ideal conditions I would be doing this at least 24 weeks. But with her blood pressure being such a key factor… well, I just want to get a look to see what's going on inside."

"What? Ok, I must be hearing things… Did you… I'm sorry I thought you just told me that my daughter is pregnant…" Bobbie shook her head and laughed nervously.

"I did and she is… 13 weeks approximately by our calculations… Ms. Corinthos… I need to you to wake up now… You are going to have to try and stay calm… I know your head is hurting and we're going to take care of that I promise. That's good… take deep breaths. Alright, can you open your eyes for me?"

"Dr. Lee? Ohhhhh, my head… Momma?" Carly groaned and opened her eyes trying once again to cling to reality.

"Carly… you need to listen to me… Dr. Lee is here and she's going to do an ultrasound… I can't believe you didn't tell me I was going to have a new grandchild…" Bobbie squeezed Carly's hand as she teased gently.

"Are you mad at me?" Carly bit her lip and tried to push herself up in the bed. "I'm sorry… I just… I never meant…"

"Shhhh! It's ok baby, I'm not mad… How could I be?" Bobbie reached for her daughter's hand and squeezed it gently.

"Does anyone else know? Sonny? Jason?" Carly started to panic… what had happened since she had been brought into the ER?

"No honey, the only reason I know is because I have been sitting with you since you were brought in… I take it that this is an unexpected baby? Is it Sonny's?"

Carly shook her head in the negative and closed her eyes, trying to figure out the best way to break the news to her mother.

"Ok… well, that would make it Jax's and he will be…" Bobbie's voice broke off as Carly started to cry. "Oh. Well, I see, so the baby is not Jax's. Well, Carly, I am a little confused here…"

Dr. Lee sensed Carly's uneasiness and jumped at the chance to interrupt the interrogation that seemed to be coming.

"Alright… let's take a look. We're going to lift your gown up… This going to be a little cold, let's just put a little goop right here…"

Both Mother and daughter locked eyes and were silent for a moment, both holding their breaths in anticipation of what the ultrasound would reveal.

"Oh… well, this explains a few things…" Dr. Lee turned the screen toward the waiting women, "I wasn't expecting this, but…"

"What? Did I lose the baby? What am I looking at?" Carly interrupted in a rush of panic and fear.

"Calm down and let me finish, I don't know if I mentioned it at your last appointment, but multiple births can also cause a mother to suffer from high blood pressure." Dr. Lee wished for a camera as both mother and daughter stared at the screen in complete shock.

"Multiple?" Carly gulped nervously.

"Twins?" Bobbie smiled, her eyes filling with tears. No one could ever say Carly didn't do things to the extreme.

"I'm having twins? How… how can you tell?" Carly's asked softly her eyes never leaving the monitor.

"Well, this mass right here is Baby 1's bottom…. And this would be Baby 2… This is why your blood pressure has already been high… as I was saying PIH happens a lot with multiples, and until now, we had no reason to believe that you were having more than one…"

Carly heard the frown in the young obstetrician's voice, "Two babies mean twice the risk doesn't it?"

"Risk? What risk?" Bobbie looked anxiously at the two solemn faces and hoped that whatever risks Carly was talking about wasn't as bad as the concerned note in her voice had made it sound.

Lucky sat next to Sonny in the waiting room. He had given him the details as he knew them and Carly hadn't been lucid the whole way to the hospital, so he actually didn't know too much. He had called Sonny's house as soon as the ambulance had arrived at the emergency room doors and Carly was wheeled out of sight.

"So, you're telling me that my brother was shot and Carly was with him… Why would Carly be with Ric? She hates Ric." Sonny stood up and started to walk away, but turned to ask Lucky another question when Jason rushed through the doors.

"Where is she? Was she shot? Is she… is she ok?" Jason was shaking with his fear. The moment he had heard the television broadcast he had known in his heart that somehow Carly had been involved.

Sonny caught the anguish in his best friend's eyes and tried to reassure him. "She's ok… she's tough. They haven't told us anything except that she wasn't shot, but… well, Ric wasn't so lucky."

Relief came in waves off of Jason's tense body. The dread that he had felt melted away, leaving anxious concern in its wake.

"Wait, she was with Ric? Why? That doesn't make any sense?" Jason frowned as he tried to connect the pieces of the puzzle together.

"I don't know. Lucky rode in the ambulance with her, he called me on his way here. Today was Alexis' chemo, so I was already here… But, I don't know much more, you can be damn sure I am going to find out... The only thing I know for sure is that Ric is dead and Carly either saw the shooter or saw who did the shooting."

"Jason!" Lulu burst into the waiting area not even 10 minutes after Jason's arrival panic evident in her voice.

All eyes turned as Lulu came rushing into the waiting area dragging a frazzled Milo by the hand, her gently swollen tummy leading the way.

Jason tried to sooth the agitated blonde the best he could. "She's ok, Lulu."

He turned to his glare on the uncomfortable bodyguard standing next to her, "Didn't I give you instructions for you to take Lulu to the penthouse?"

Clearing his throat Milo was about to respond when Lulu stomped her little foot and bellowed, "Lulu didn't want to go to the penthouse!"

"Sorry Mr. Morgan, she heard about the shooting at the Metro Court on the radio… it was either bring her down here or follow her here." Milo grimaced and waited for his employer's words of disapproval. Max who had been standing silently at a discreet distance gave him a commiserating look as if to say "now you know how it feels to work for Mrs. C".

Unbelievable, the guy could break bones, bust heads and kill without a second that and Jason couldn't believe that this slip of a girl had forced him to bring her here. But, then she was related to Carly.

"That's fine… Just keep an eye on her ok?" Jason shook his head as Lulu practically hissed like an angry kitten at him and stomped off towards Carly's room dragging Milo behind here. Jason wondered if they had even realized that they were still holding hands.

"Alright, the more I think about it, the more I don't like this Jason… Is there a chance that Carly shot Ric?"

Jason's head shot up, "Are you serious? Why would you even think something like that?"

"Well, we are talking about Carly here…" Sonny didn't have to finish his sentence.

"No… I don't think she shot Ric. But, I do think that we have to consider that Ric wasn't the target… I hadn't had a chance to call you yet, but someone broke into Carly's house today. That's why I have Milo watching over Lulu." Jason would have rather that Carly had shot Ric in cold blood than the alternative.


	13. Chapter 13

The hardest thing about writing more than three chapters is keeping the consistency… little details get forgotten and/or changed… thanks for hanging in there! Sometimes I feel that Jason has been portrayed on the show to treat Carly as more of a nuisance or someone that he just tolerates which frustrates me to no end and makes a mockery of their history together. So here's to staying true to JARLY!!!!

And you know I don't own any characters or ABC because if I did things would be different on so many levels! Serendipity

Chapter 13- Quiet

"Carly! Thank god you're ok!" Lulu burst through the door without even thinking.

Her unexpected entrance caused a variety of reactions- Bobbie jumped grabbing her chest, Dr. Lee had frozen in mid-sentence with her mouth hung open, and Carly turned as pale as her sheet with a stricken look that caught Lulu by surprise.

"What's wrong? Is that an ultrasound? Is something wrong with the baby?" Lulu rushed forward and nudged Dr. Lee aside so she could stand next to her distraught cousin.

"What? Why are you staring at me?" Lulu followed three gazes as they shifted from her to something behind her… she had completely forgotten that she had drug Milo into the exam room with her.

Turning she walked back to where Milo stood quietly after closing the door behind him, with a reassuring smile she pulled him further into the room.

"It's ok Carly… you can trust Milo , he won't tell a soul about _ANYTHING_ he hears or sees inside this room."

"I won't" Milo raised a brow and cocked his head to the side, questioning the dainty blonde's presumption.

"No… you won't!" Lulu glared so fiercely at him, that he had no other choice but to nod and agree.

"Mrs. C, I promise that nothing short of death will get me to talk." Milo nodded his head and Lulu smiled so brightly and gave him such a look of approval that he would have agreed to anything at that point.

"Ok… Unless Ms. Corinthos wants you in here, you two are going to have to leave…" Dr. Lee stated looking sternly at the two intruders.

"No… it's ok. Lulu, you might as well come over here and get a good look at your cousins…" Carly tried to look innocent as she let the statement drop. It still felt weird to think that she was carrying not one, but two little people inside of her at that very moment.

"OH! So you are doing an ultrasound… and that's the baby? Wait a second. Did you just say cousins… as in plural?" Lulu did a little "happy" dance and studied the screen. "Are you sure? I hate these things… I can't tell what is what!" Lulu moaned in frustration.

"Trust me Lulu, there are two babies on the screen." Laughed Dr. Lee, "I hate to put a damper on the happy moment, Mrs. Corinthos, but we need to finish discussing your condition."

"Alright… but can you please just stop with the Mrs. Corinthos? Since we are going to be getting personal just call me Carly, it's so much easier." Carly sighed and prepared herself for the rules and restrictions she would be following for the rest of her pregnancy.

After 15 minutes of serious conversation there wasn't a smile in the room. Even the normally calm and collected Milo looked worried.

"Dr. Lee, aside from the few people in this room, I would like to keep my pregnancy confidential for now. One of the main reasons being the stress that it would cause me if certain people found out about my condition before I was ready for them to know." Carly looked the young OB in the eye and was pleased when Dr. Lee got the message.

"That won't be a problem, I can schedule you and Lulu's appointments at the same time and all anyone needs to know is that I am Lulu's doctor. Now, you get some rest, refrain from having too many visitors and I'll be back in about two hours to check out. From there we can decide whether or not you will need to stay overnight or go home…" Dr. Lee smiled kindly and left the room.

"Uh, Carly, I don't think going home is such a good idea at the moment." Lulu hesitated, unsure how to break the news to Carly about the damage to her home.

"Why not? I am so tired of this itchy gown already. I can rest just as well at home as I can here."

"Well, I don't know how to tell you this… Dr. Lee said to avoid stress and…" Lulu bit her lip and reached for Milo's hand, as if seeking reassurance. It was such an instinctive action that when she realized what she was doing she quickly tried to pull her hand away, but Milo just tightened his grip and took the miserable task from her.

"Mrs. C, what Lulu doesn't want to tell you is that someone broke into your house today… They did a lot of damage throughout the house, nothing that can't be fixed or cleaned up…" He rushed to reassure her, "Except… well your bedroom… a lot of clothes… it's bad."

"Oh my, Carly, don't worry, you and the boys can come and stay with me…" Bobbie saw the anguish in her daughter's eyes.

"The boys? Does Sonny still have the boys?" Carly asked her voice trembling with renewed fear.

"I believe that Mr. Corinthos has the boys, Mrs. C." Milo offered trying to ease her worries.

"Ok, I need to be sure. I can't sit here and not know for sure… if someone is trying to hurt me, they are in danger… Sonny needs to know…" Carly struggled to control her breathing. If anything happened to any of her children she didn't know what she would do.

"I'll go talk to Sonny. You just stay calm… you've got two new children to think about which reminds me… We should stick to the truth as much as possible. Which means you are recovering from a terrible ordeal, some bumps and bruises… alright?" Bobbie hugged her child, "I'll be back in a minute… or do you feel up to visitors?"

"I guess it would be too suspicious if I plead unconsciousness, huh? Alright… fine, visitors allowed. Now please go find out about my boys." Carly pleaded.

As Bobbie left the room Lulu turned focused her full attention on Carly.

"Ok, I get that you don't want anyone to know you are pregnant, but please explain to me how by not telling Jason about your pregnant you are avoiding stress?"

Carly fixed her eyes on her lap, folding and unfolding the cool bed sheet, trying to figure out how to explain something that she wasn't sure about herself. It just felt like whatever she did from here on out would be wrong.

"To tell you the truth, I really don't know how to handle this. If Jason walked through that door at this moment I just don't know if I could tell him. I mean what would I say, Guess what! On the night that you don't remember I got pregnant, I promise that I didn't do it on purpose, oh yeah, while you're trying to figure out how not to kill me for destroying our friendship so completely… I am pregnant with twins, but cheer up you may not get stuck with us because I can't control my blood pressure..." Carly finished with a groan putting an arm over her eyes.

"Ok… so things are a little complicated. I just can't help but think that you might not giving Jason enough credit… But, it's your call. You know I'll support you whatever you decide."

"I will tell him. I promise, but this pregnancy is going to hurt so many people on so many different levels." Carly looked up at the ceiling wishing she were anywhere but lying in that hospital bed.

"Jax? He'll get over it…" Lulu started to explain her statement, but Carly stopped her.

"We broke off the engagement…" Carly started to tell her what had happened but the door opening stopped her.

"You broke off the engagement? You finally get tired of Jax running off all the time?" Sonny stood with his hands on his hips a smug look in his face.

"Quit gloating. No actually it was mutual. Please tell me the boys are safe at your house." Carly had wanted to disappear before, now the urge to runaway was so strong that it took a conscious effort not to try and bolt.

Sonny raised his hands in mock defeat, "Alright, I'll drop it. You ok?"

"Yeah, I am… Lulu would you and Milo please go and see when I can get out of here, I need to go home and see how bad the damage is." Carly shot Lulu a silent plea

"Sure, come on Milo." Lulu grabbed Milo by the hand once again and without a complaint Milo followed her out the door.

"Young love, huh? I thought she was carrying the great Quartermaine heir?" Sonny chuckled as he pulled up a chair beside his ex-wife.

"Poor Milo, he doesn't stand a chance. As for the heir comment all I am going to say is that Lulu and Dillon are being really adult about the situation. They've both decided that they don't want use the baby a reason for them to be together and they've realized that friendship is all they fill… smart kids." Carly shrugged.

"As opposed to us?" Sonny shot her a questioning glance and for once Carly refused to take the bait.

"Everyone is different. So, I guess you know about Ric, huh?"

Sonny looked up and for just a second sorrow showed on his face, but it disappeared so fast that if Carly hadn't known Sonny so well she would have missed it.

"Well, Ric was good at pissing people off… I guess it wasn't just my life he tried to screw with."

"I know about my house Sonny. I know that whoever shot Ric was trying to shoot me. I appreciate the effort though." Carly smiled, "Before Ric died he was trying to tell me that someone was after you and Jason… But, you probably know that… so why me? Why not go after Sam too?"

"Why not Sam too what?" Jason stood in the doorway staring intently at Carly.

"Apparently Ric was trying to get Carly to warn us and unfortunately she raises a good point, we need to put a guard on Sam. Alcazar may be out of town but apparently he left orders."

"Oh come on, Lorenzo might go after you two, hell, he might even go after Sam… But to try and kill me, to destroy my home… Never… He didn't do it or order it done…" Carly was sp confident in what she was saying that Jason believed her.

"Alright, so it was Alcazar. That still doesn't change the fact that someone out there tried to kill you today." Jason wanted to grab her and hold on to her. To hold her close and listen to her breath just to make sure she was ok, and that scared him.

"Look, I had Stan take some of our guys over to check out your house. Unfortunately, Ric being the DA is going to cause some problems and I am sure Mac is going to want to question us. I am heading out to the lakehouse to check on Alexis… You and the boys can stay at my house tonight. We'll worry about cleaning up your house tomorrow."

Sonny kissed Carly on the cheek and headed out the door, "Jason, I'll call you later."

"How does he do that? He smiles that smile, dictates our lives and walks suavely out the door without a hair out of place?" Carly laughed and looked up at Jason.

Jason couldn't take his eyes off of her. Even in that tacky hospital gown she was beautiful.

"Why didn't you tell me?"


	14. Chapter 14

Here we go!!! Trying to keep a steady pace, let me know what you think. Serendipity

Chapter 14- PLANS

"Tell you what?" Carly froze, her mind racing with anxiety.

"Tell me that I am a complete and total ass." Jason walked over and sat beside Carly and pulled her cold, slender hand in between his warm ones.

"Oh, you weren't being an ass, people change. It just took us longer to realize it." Carly felt a momentary sense of relief. He was apologizing for their last conversation, so maybe that meant she could avoid the real threat to the friendship for the moment.

"I remember." Jason placed a hand softly on her cheek and looked into her eyes, "You were trying to tell me and like an idiot I jumped to conclusions. You know I would never intentionally hurt you, god, I am _SO_ sorry."

Carly felt tears sting her eyes, "You remember everything? You're not mad?" Jason wiped the tear drop that had trickled from her eye.

"No, I'm not mad. But, I can't lie to you. I don't know how it started or how I let it go so far, but it wasn't your fault. I should have never let it happen happened."

Carly felt her heart shatter into a million pieces, five words ringing loudly in her head… It should have never happened…

"You're right… it was a mistake. I mean you are trying to work things out with Sam. I was with Jax…" Carly gulped back a sob.

"I didn't say it was a mistake. It made me realize just how much you mean to me. I realize now that I do take you for granted. Just like everyone else in your life, and I always thought I was the one person who truly appreciated your uniqueness. It's just that you are so much a part of my life- of me, that sometimes I forget that there are times that you can't actually read my mind and that you do to need to hear words. You know me, Carly, the good and the bad, and you know I'm not good at this- at talking about feelings and expressing my emotions, so I am going to make it simple. I don't know what my life would be like without you in it, and I hope to god I never have to find out because without you, my life just doesn't make much sense."

Chuckling Carly wiped her eyes, "Wow, that is the most I think I have heard you say in months, maybe years…"

Jason smiled, "Well, it took me that long to get my head out of my ass. Look, I don't expect you to act like nothing happened, but you have to realize that what happened that night… I can't go there Carly…"

"I know, ok, so just don't go into all the reasons I screwed up any chance for us to be together… I know better than anyone why you shouldn't be involved with me…" Carly commented bitterly pulling her hand from his and covering her eyes.

"Woman! Can you let me finish? I don't speak often, but even I have things that need to be said sometimes." Jason a grabbed her hand back and determined to finish, "I was trying to say that I can't figure out us when I need to be figuring out how to keep you safe instead."

"What are you saying Jase?" Carly cocked her head to the side and asked him quietly.

"You were right the other day when you said that you didn't know me anymore. We have both changed and until we know that no one is going to come after you, we can't explore that… Man, this hard, I just I am not good with words, I guess what I am saying is I'd like to get to know you… again, if you are willing to give me a chance." Jason looked so uncertain that it tugged at her heart.

"More than willing… But, there's something…" Carly knew that before they could clean the slate she would have to tell him about her secret.

"JASON! Thank god…"

At the sound of his name being shrieked Jason bolted out of his chair.

"Sam… What happened?" Jason moved forward his eyes moving over the small body from head to toe.

If Carly had been shot at then Sam had gotten into a brawl. She sported on black-eye, a cut lip, and some serious bruises from what Carly could see.

Throwing herself into his arms, Sam bawled, "These two men attacked me. I tried to get away… I did, but… ohhhh…"

The dainty woman collapsed in a swoon against Jason's chest.

"Carly… I'm going to take care of Sam… just, we'll talk later ok…" Jason wanted to throw Sam out the door on a gurney and yell for someone else to take care of her, but he knew that was a cold and callus way to treat a woman whose only crime was loving him… well, maybe not ONLY…

Carly nodded, "You wouldn't be the Jason I loved if you didn't try and save every damsel in distress." She joked and tried to smile, but couldn't quite hide the disappointment in her eyes.

"We're not finished." Was all he said… and because she knew him so well, a smile lit up her face. A small flame of hope that had been lying dormant for months began to burn.

Giving Carly a look so intense it made her toes curl, Jason bolted out of the room carrying an unconscious Sam in his arms.

"Oh, my… what happened to Sam?" Bobbie came in as Jason rushed past her.

"I guess she has the same enemies I do…" Carly shrugged and slowly laid back against the pillows.

"Well, after seeing that look, I guess there is no need to ask you again who the father is…" Bobbie teased as she moved to sit down beside her daughter.

"What? What look?" Carly tired to play innocent but her mother knew her too well.

"You know what look, the completely possessive _"You're my woman_" kind of look… It looks like you finally got your man, sweetie." Smiling she poured Carly a glass of water and settled back into her seat.

"Carly!" Lulu was back in full force, her trusty side-kick still in tow… looking some-what frazzled.

"My dad is on the way here. I've got a PLAN!" Lulu shut the door firmly behind her and walked toward the other chair in the room, Milo was content to just stand behind her and watch the feisty blonde in action.

Bobbie and Carly on the other hand groaned in unison. "Is this how you guys feel every time I have a PLAN?"

Bobbie shook with laughter and gave a nod in the affirmative, "I am not so sure Luke is going to appreciate all the time you've spent with Lulu after this."

Lulu was not to be deterred. "Milo and I were trying to figure out who was out to get you and, well, we still don't know, but… it's obvious that it has something to do with the great _mysterious_ business that Sonny and Jason are involved in. So here's what we are going to do…"

"… and we come back as soon as it's safe or a week before my due date whichever comes first… It's perfect. No stress, no worries… Just us girls… Milo to protect us…"

Milo's head whipped around, "When did I become part of your PLAN?"

Lulu rolled her eyes, "Like anyone is going to let Carly leave town without a bodyguard after today. Besides, my dad can't stick around the whole time and Dillon will probably bring Georgie if he comes to see me during his Spring Break."

"I can't… I can't leave the boys for that long." Carly shook her head in rejection.

"But, that is where Aunt Bobbie comes in… the boys will have Spring Break right? That would be in about a month. They can plan a trip with grandma. I mean, who's to say it won't be over by then?"

"She's right Carly. If you stay here you won't be able to avoid stress and just the thought of how close you came today…" Bobbie choked not able to finish her sentence.

"Alright, alright… I'm here… the Spencer family meeting can begin…" Luke pronounced sweeping into the room with a grand gesture.

Carly's mind had been racing. Lulu's plan was good, however, she was wrong if she thought Sonny and Jason were the only ones who could make them disappear without anyone knowing where they were.

Carly's eyes got that look and Bobbie groaned again, "Great… two Carly's… two PLANS… heaven help us!"

"Uncle Luke… how are you're covert operation skills these days?" Carly smiled innocently up at the older man.

"Why Caroline, do you even need to ask? I am LUKE SPENCER… so my darling niece, give me the details." Luke was so intrigued that he barely notice Milo standing in the corner.

"Ahh! Hey, I thought he was one of the "bad" guys, so to speak…" Luke raised an eyebrow skeptically.

"He's with me." Lulu stated and patted Milo's hand reassuringly.

"Oh he is…is he? Well, we'll see…" Luke gave Milo a fatherly-glare.

Milo gulped in agony.

"Look Spencer, you just focus on Carly's problem… not my personal life ok!" Lulu retorted crossing her hands over her chest.

With that settled the room began to flow with plots, theories, and ideas… Milo silently stood back and watched. To him, an outsider, it became totally obvious… it wasn't a Carly thing to come up with PLANS… it was a _SPENCER_ thing…


	15. Chapter 15

Sorry for the long hiatus… But we're back in full effect here! I have been writing and re-writing this chapter for two weeks… and I think we are making progress!

Thanks for the patience and support! Serendipity

Chapter 15- Twisting

_One Month and Five Days after getting out of GH…_

Carly sat on the deck listening to the tide roll in and the wind chime tinkling in the distance. The full moon shown over the ocean and the smell of fresh salty air should have been soothing. She should have been relaxed in such a tranquil setting. Instead, she was more miserable tonight than she had been the whole time she was away from Port Charles.

Part of her distress came from the fact that she had talked to the boys earlier and it had made her want to rush home so badly.

Even though they had originally planned for the boys to come and spend vacation time with her, the plans had changed when Bobbie had pointed out that Carly would be showing, which she was, and that no one knew that they weren't at the posh spa that they were supposed to be at in Colorado. Michael was old enough to understand the need for secrecy somewhat, but sweet little Morgan was a lousy secret keeper and too young to understand that mommy was supposed to be at a luxurious resort in the mountains and not the sandy beaches of Cabo San Lucas, Mexico.

Stretching out on the lounge chair she absently rubbed her ever-rounding stomach and tried to push away the ache of longing she felt. Besides not being able to see the boys, she couldn't see Jason… couldn't speak to him… couldn't do anything but sit there and remember the night she left Port Charles.

_Leaving…_

Feeling as if her heart was stuck in her throat Carly waited at the door to Jason's penthouse. She had decided to tell him in person that she was leaving for awhile because the thought of just leaving a message or doing it over the phone felt so impersonal.

Plus she was anxious to see how he would treat her now, how he would react to her departure and most importantly anxious for him to understand that there was something important she needed to talk with him about when she returned.

She had decided that the moment it was safe for her to go home she would tell him everything- about the twins and about how she didn't want to, and couldn't, go on pretending that she wasn't in love with him.

She knew that Milo was off keeping an eye on Lulu and she didn't recognize the guard standing at the door tonight, but she smiled nicely and calmly stepped past him and into Sam.

Carly wanted to scream in frustration. Even sporting a black eye, a cut lip and wearing one of Jason's old faded t-shirts, she still looked like a super model.

"I'm here to see Jason." She stated walking past the gnome-like brunette and looking around the empty room.

"Of course you are… isn't that always how it is, you chasing after him, breathing down his neck?" Sam drawled as she sauntered over to the couch.

"Ok… not to stoop down to your teeny-weenie level, but I seem to recall a time when you were crying in hysterics to anyone who would listen and begging them to get him to take you back… Anyway, I can see from your layers of clothing that he isn't here or you would be running around in your own clothing which would be more revealing than your present attire." Carly smirked as Sam looked down at Jason's T-shirt and her skimpy little shorts and gasped as she realized that she was being insulted.

"Awww… someone sounds a wee bit jealous doesn't she? Jason happens to love my sexy, tight little body- he can't seem to get enough of it…" Sam began to snarl as her eyes shot daggers at the leggy blonde.

"Funny, before he died, Ric told me that even though the packaging was pretty, the merchandise itself was a huge disappointment… I believe well-used and un-natural were two of the words he used. What's that saying about the village bicycle again?" Carly pretended to contemplate the question seriously, "Ah, yes… wait around a bit, or in your case a drink or two, and everyone will get a ride…"

Sam shrieked and lunged at Carly, laughing smugly stepped out the door and slammed it in the skank's outraged face.

God, that felt good, she thought smiling at the guard and cheerfully stepping onto the waiting elevator.

Her smiled died as the doors closed and she remembered where her next stop would be.

Biting her lip she went over in her mind what she was going to say. How did she tell her ex-husband that after more than ten years she was still in love with her best friend?

Looking back now, she realized that a huge weight had been taken off her chest the day she admitted to Sonny that she was still in love with Jason.

She had never realized how by never admitting the truth to herself, or to anyone else for that matter, she was making something that should have been beautiful and pure into an ugly and shameful secret.

For the first time since he had admitted to and accepted being bipolar, she could see the change in him.

Yes, he had been hurt, and would be even more hurt when he found out about her being pregnant, but there had been no ugly accusations, no hateful words exchange and neither one of them blamed the other. For the first time in their long and tumultuous relationship they were in a truly good place, a healthy place.

They both had finally been able to let go of whatever hurt and anger remained from the past. Oh, they would always love each other, that was a something that she neither wanted or needed to change. The only difference was that now they were willing to let each other go so that this bond of love wouldn't be destroyed.

In the end, as he had agreed to take care of their children while she was away, he had asked her to remember one thing… and it still rung out loud in the silence of her mind.

"_Carly, I know that you are strong… but please don't let yourself break if things don't work out the way you want them to… Jason could have fought for you. That night he could've forgiven you… but he chose to leave instead. How many times have you forgiven us? How many times should you have had to? It took me this long to see it, and that is something I am going to have to live with… but, you deserve more… just remember that, ok."_

Carly rubbed her stinging eyes and pulled the quilt up over her legs. A light mist had begun to fall and she would have to go back inside soon, but she craved a few more minutes of solitude.

Her heart had been heavy as she had waited to board the private jet to Colorado. But, then something happened that she would never forget…

Her legs felt like lead and her eyes full of unshed tears.

She hadn't been able to contact Jason and it hurt that she wouldn't be able to say goodbye. It was as if fate was playing a cruel joke on her, dangling happiness in front of her but keeping it just out of reach.

Reaching the top of the landing she paused for just a split second. The back of her neck tingled and she could feel a magnetic pull coming from the door to the hanger.

"Carly!"

Grabbing on to the rail she twisted around in surprise… Jason was running towards the jet, his eyes focused on her.

Slowly she made her way down the stairs, blinded by the tears in her eyes and the love in her heart.

At the bottom of the landing Jason opened his arms wide and didn't have to do or say another thing. Carly launched herself down the last two steps and into his waiting arms.

Jason held her tightly against him and it felt like coming home to her.

"I thought I wouldn't get to say goodbye." Carly sniffled as she burrowed into his chest.

"Not a chance. As soon as I knew you were leaving I did everything I could to get here in time to see you off." Jason pulled back and wiped away the tears trickling from Carly's brown eyes.

"I went by your place. I don't suppose Sam might have mentioned it?" Carly asked sighing and trying to smile.

Jason snorted and gave a dry chuckle, "I thought I heard some kind of commotion going on down stairs. I was in the shower, I couldn't figure out what had gotten her so pissed off…"

Carly bit her lip and tried not to think about all of the reasons Jason might have been taking a shower in the middle of the day with Sam hanging out at his place.

"I know you are in love with her but…" Carly let the sentence trail off and she looked away trying to focus on something, anything, other than the man in front of her.

"Stop right there, before you say another word. I had no idea that she was even there… So just quit. Don't even let your mind go there." Jason smiled tenderly and turned Carly's face gently back towards him. "Sam and I, well, we've just been going through the motions. I tried to make myself feel something with her again and I couldn't… it just wasn't there. So, I sent her back to the lakehouse… for good."

"For good? Does that mean…?" Carly smiled brightly and tried not to get her hopes up.

"It means that Sam and are over." Jason looked away uncertainly, "Carly, I don't know what it is, this thing between us. But, when you get back, maybe we can try and figure it out."

Carly wanted to sing, dance, scream in joy… or do all of the above. More than anything at that moment, she wanted to tell him about his impending fatherhood status.

But, she stopped short at his next words.

"I am not saying that I want to rush into anything, ok, just, let's just take it slow… Can we do that?" Jason asked staring intently.

It hit Carly then that he was scared. This strong and sometimes ruthless man was scared. He didn't have to admit it, but she knew that it was fear and not lack of feelings that was holding him back.

Laying a hand along side his face she smiled, "We can do anything."

He wanted to kiss her. She could see it in his crystal blue eyes. The air was crackling with pent up electricity and she knew that it if she made the first move it could ruin everything, so denying the impulse to lay one on him, she held back.

Quickly dropping a kiss on her forehead Jason stepped away and saying a brief goodbye he smiled and turned to walk away. Carly stood at the bottom of the landing trying to push away the disappointment she couldn't help but feel. Sighing she slowly turned to walk back up the stairs and board the jet.

A hand on her arm stopped her and before she knew it she pulled into a kiss so passionate her legs got weak. Jason held her tight claiming her again and again with his kiss. The world could have stopped and they would never have known it. As quickly as it had begun it was over and Jason slowly pulled away. His eyes never leaving hers he gave her a silent smile and raised his hand in goodbye and quietly walked away leaving her trembling and breathless holding on the landing rail.

Placing a trembling hand over her bruised lips Carly smiled. If this was taking things slow than she couldn't wait until it was safe to rush in and take what she wanted.

Carly's POV continues in the next chapter and you'll find out what has been happening in Cabo and how they ended up there in the first place. NOTE: I purposely left detail out of her interaction with Sonny because I didn't feel like I could do justice to the emotions they would be experiencing at this time. I may go back eventually and write it in though.


	16. Chapter 16

Thanks for the patience and great reviews. I am working overtime to get this story right- and I have really enjoyed writing it! Serendipity

Chapter 16- Twisting II

Laughter from inside the villa broke through Carly's memories and she smiled. She could almost swear that her lips were still tingling.

"CARLY!!!"

Groaning she stood up and walked slowly toward the sound of Lulu's excited yells. The change in Lulu since she had come to stay with Carly was amazing.

Gone was the sullen girl with the cynical outlook on the world and in her place was a confident and beautiful young mother-to-be. She laughed and smiled and lived each day to the fullest.

What was even more amazing was the change in Milo. Young love had allowed the quiet young man to open up and the more he laughed, the younger he looked. Carly knew that he had doubts about returning to his former career and from the look in his eyes every time he glanced at Lulu, it was obvious that he wanted to be a permanent fixture in her life. Carly had already decided to give him a job as the head of security at the Metro Court and she could almost guarantee that he would take it. But, the mob was a powerful thing and the lifestyle had a potent allure that she was hoping he would be able to resist.

The lifestyle was ok for her, she had accepted it, lived it, and though every once in awhile she might wish to be living a "normal" life, she knew that her place was by Jason's side and he would never truly leave Sonny or the business.

"C-aaarrr-lll-ieeeeee!" Lulu bellowed, "Oh… I was beginning to wonder when you were going to come inside. Milo and are getting ready to practice Lamaze and I thought you might want to join in."

Lulu grinned and wriggled her eyebrows dramatically, and Milo groaned in mock-agony at his role of coach. He had argued with every excuse imaginable about being with Lulu in the delivery room from blood making him queasy, a truly laughable excuse considering his employment, to Dillon causing a scene and wanting to be there instead. But, Lulu had smiled ever-so-patiently and pleaded ever-so-prettily and in the end as he was caving Milo confessed to being mortified about "women-matters".

What had followed was a completely mortifying experience for the young man and an outrageous lecture and colorfully-educational commentary from Carly.

Carly had thought his head was going to explode, "Actually, I don't have any use for Lamaze- both times I delivered it wasn't an option really… anyway, I believe you heard Dr. Lee say that she would probably end up inducing early."

Lulu rolled her eyes, "Excuses, excuses! OH!"

Her eyes got huge as she leaned forward, placing both hands on her abdomen.

"WHAT!" Both Milo and Carly screamed in anxiety.

"He kicked… the little guy kicked me… Wow… I can feel it!" Lulu rushed over, grabbing Milo's hand and placed it on her rounding belly.

With a comical look he laughed and moved his hands around on her tummy. But then all expression dropped from his face and he quietly pulled Lulu onto his lap. With a tender smile, he whispered, "I love you."

Lulu squealed and threw her arms around him in excitement, "I love you too!"

Carly wiped the tears of happiness from her eyes and quietly crept to the kitchen. Let the youngsters have their moment, she thought with a weepy smile.

Picking up her cell phone she dialed Luke's number and waited impatiently for him to answer. The sooner he found the answers they were looking for, the sooner they could go home.

Never again would Carly doubt Luke's ability or brilliance when it came to PLANS… he was good and paid amazing attention to detail.

Upon landing in Colorado, he had escorted the group to a luxurious spa where they would be "staying" in a private cabin over-looking a huge lake and the picturesque valley below.

Once there, after they switched places with their "doubles", who were actually some "con" buddies of Luke's, he spirited them away to another jet and off to Mexico. Carly had been a little skeptical about their destination as Luke's only explanation was that Cabo St. Lucas had his name all over it, as in St. Lucas, and he was sure it was perfect for what they were trying to do.

Sure they weren't residing in a Five-star establishment, but the villa was cozy and they did have a housekeeper/ cook, for which both Lulu and Milo were eternally grateful considering their own lack of cooking ability and Carly's own infamous reputation in the kitchen.

But, it wasn't that bit of thoughtfulness that had really earned Carly's gratitude. It was when five days ago Bobbie had shown up with Dr. Lee in tow, who had been convinced that they were going to a medical seminar in California. Amazingly enough the day after their appearance, a driver had shown up in a hummer and escorted them into town and to the nearest hospital were Dr. Lee was allowed access to the necessary medical equipment to check out her patients.

Luke had laughed when Carly had asked him how he had managed it and all he said was… "You'll get my bill, Caroline." And that was that.

Lulu was given an excellent bill of health and told everything was going on schedule. Carly on the other hand was subjected to several different tests and put on modified bed rest. Unfortunately, three of the tests had to be sent back state-side and Carly was still waiting for the status on them. Her blood pressure had leveled off, but it was still high and looked as if they would be delivering earlier than what she would have preferred. But, as long as the babies were ok and Jason was there- she would do whatever it took.

"Why hello Caroline?" Luke's voice broke her concentration.

"Hello Uncle Luke, I just thought I would let you know that your grandson is causing a ruckus and making his presence known… Lulu and Milo are ecstatic over here."

"Muscles? What did he get a little emotional? I guess it's a good thing it's too late or I'd probably be havin' to get my shotgun ready, huh?" Luke laughed.

Contrary to his statement, he had grown fond of Milo since his first meeting with the bodyguard. He even gave Milo permission to "court" his daughter… as if it were needed. Luke also happened to like Milo's devotion to Lulu's welfare and safety.

"I think you might be welcoming Milo into the clan sooner rather than later…" Carly chuckled.

"So even about to pop my princess is still a female-fatale, huh, her mother was just as beautiful… I wish… well, anyway, I suppose you are calling to check on the status?" Luke cleared his throat to remove all obvious traces of the deep emotions he was feeling.

"Anyone try and kill me yet?" Carly asked hopefully, fully aware of the irony of the situation.

"Nope… according to "Carly" there have been a few suspicious people in the area but nothing definite. Even Port Chuck seems quiet, of course, PCPD is running around with their heads stuck up their asses about Lansing's death. Poor Lucky, he and his partner got stuck with the investigation since he was on the scene. It just shouts conflict of interest- what with being his cousin and the deceased being his ex-wife's ex-husband… got to love it here." Luke finished with a wry chuckle.

Saying goodnight Carly quietly made her way to her lonely bedroom and curled up on top the soft bed. Luke hadn't mentioned Jason at all and Carly had been so tempted to ask.

Closing her eyes she wondered where he was and if he was missing her half as much as she was missing him.

_ Miles and miles and miles away…_

"Hey Liz, did some test results come back?" Dr. Lee smiled at her pregnant friend.

"Wow! I wish I could go to a medical conference and come back with a killer tan… you look great!" Liz laughed and shook her head, "Nope… You want me to call and check on them?"

"Uh, no that's ok, I'll handle it… thanks…" Dr. Lee frowned at the chart she was looking at and walked away.

Liz was about to walk to the nurses lounge for her break when the fax machine started to beep. Biting her lip she wondered if these were the tests results Kelly had been waiting on. Should she page her?

Deciding that Kelly would comeback shortly to check on their status if they were something important, she picked up the sheets of paper and was about to throw them into Kelly's in-box when the name on top of the paper caught her eye.

Carly Corinthos… Female: 35… 19-20 weeks… OB: Dr. Kelly Lee… Target Due Date: May 18, 2007.

Liz's jaw dropped. Carly was pregnant? Her mind raced with all types of possible scenarios.

That bitch! Liz narrowed her eyes. Carly had left town over a month ago with some excuse about keeping Lulu company… either one, she was planning on keeping Lulu's baby for herself and this was all a scam or two, she was keeping Jax's or Sonny's child away from them. What if she was planning on giving up the baby? Wonderful mother, her ass, Liz thought petulantly.

Throwing the papers into Kelly's box, she stomped away determined to stop the scheming blonde in her tracks. She would go to the one person that could stop Carly from pulling some crazy stunt.

Of course, it wouldn't hurt that he would once again see how good and wholesome she was compared to his so-called best friend who lied and schemed every chance she got…

THE moment… coming soon….


	17. Chapter 17

Thanks for the awesome reviews! I can't thank you guys enough!

Serendipity

Chapter 17- Truth

Jason threw an annoyed glance at the door. He was trying to finish up an important business call and the disruption wasn't welcome.

"Boss, Ms. Spencer is here to see you." Carlos apologized as the felt the blast from the cold blue eyes hit him. Wincing he ushered the beautiful brunette into the penthouse.

"Alright, we'll talk next week and set up some meetings…" Jason quickly hung up the phone and stood to greet his visitor.

"Jason, I'm sorry to bother you." Elizabeth bit her lip and peeped at Jason through her eye lashes.

"Hey, it's no problem. Is everything ok?" Jason's annoyance had turned to concern the moment the delicate woman had stepped through the door. Something about her just brought out the protectiveness in him.

"I'm fine, big as an elephant, but otherwise, doing ok." Liz rubbed her swollen belly proudly and batted her long eyelashes. She knew Jason was a softy when it came to pregnant ladies and babies.

Jason's eyes focused on the obvious signs of life within Elizabeth and fought back a wave of longing. He couldn't help but feel sad that he might never have a child of his own. If he and Carly got together would she even want another baby? This was a question he couldn't help but ask himself whenever he thought of children. Of course, she might not even be able to get pregnant. He remembered how desperately she had wanted to conceive Morgan and all of the problems that she had faced. Maybe Michael and Morgan were as close as he would ever get to being a father.

"Jason? You look a world away… Oh!" Liz's eyes grew round.

"What? Are you ok?" Jason rushed over concerned for the young woman.

"Oh! Sorry, the baby moved… You can't feel it on the outside yet, but I can sure feel it on the inside." Liz asked breathlessly, a coy smile on her face.

"Wow! Is he… she… is the baby like that all the time, constantly moving?" He asked getting caught up in the moment.

"Pretty much… we go and find out if it's a boy or girl in two weeks." Liz answered staring at the Jason intently.

"You and Lucky? So you guys are working it out? That's good." Jason replied and stepped away.

"Yeah, I guess." Liz bit her lip and cocked her head to the side, "Jason, do you ever wonder what could have happened between us? I mean, this could have been your baby?"

Jason paused to think about his answer carefully, "You know, at one time I would've said that we could've been good together. But, now everything is different."

As if considering it for the first time Jason smiled, "Funny it took all this time for me to realize that Carly was right."

Liz scowled, "Right about what?"

"She used to say that any romantic feelings I had for you were more of an illusion than real… I mean, I feel friendship for you, but beyond that I guess I kind of put you on a pedestal… You were what I thought the perfect woman should be." Jason smiled wryly.

"Oh please, Carly doesn't know anything… wait, are you saying that you don't think I am the "perfect" woman anymore… as opposed to when? Why don't you have "romantic" feelings for me anymore?" Liz sputtered her mind unable to comprehend that someone didn't think of her as the "goddess of womanhood" anymore.

"Liz, I didn't say that quite right… You are great, you're beautiful, funny, and very caring, and well, perfect I guess… But, I just realized that I don't want "perfect" anymore… Hell, I guess, I might as well as admit it. I want Carly." As soon as Jason said the words aloud he felt an amazing rush of certainty.

"Carly? You would choose Carly over me?" Liz narrowed her eyes and started to anticipate destroying the blonde bitch.

"There was never any choice to be made Liz. We all made our choices a long time ago and even if you can't see it right now, Lucky is perfect for you and Carly is perfect for me." Jason sighed and walked over to his mini-bar. God, if she didn't leave soon Jason was going to have to resort to drastic measures. Somehow it just didn't feel right discussing Carly and his feelings with Elizabeth.

"Perfect! You think that tramp is perfect?" Liz gasped, and then decided to change tactics, "I wasn't sure that it would be right for me to tell you this. But, since we are such good _friends_ I think you might want to hear it from me other than find out later… What exactly do you know about Carly's little "trip" with Lulu?"

"Tell me what? I appreciate your concern for me, but I know Carly is with Lulu at a spa in Colorado. I am not supposed to know the exact location because we were concerned for their safety… It's nothing nefarious." Jason explained patiently, he decided that just this one last time he would let the "tramp" remark go.

Liz shook her head sadly, "I realize that Carly can do no wrong in your eyes, but I just can't let this go…"

"What are you talking about?" Jason felt his heart speed up. Had Carly withheld something from him?

"I don't know how else to tell you this, so I am just going to say it… Carly left because she is pregnant with Jax's or Sonny's child and trying to hide it from them… I don't know all her reasons, or really who the father is…" Liz sighed dramatically.

Jason's head shot up and he spun around and stared intently at Liz, "Pregnant? How do you know? How far a long is she?" His mind was spinning with questions…

Liz looked surprised at the intensity of Jason's tone, "I happened to see some documents to Dr. Lee, I wasn't trying to be nosey."

_I'll bet_, thought Jason sarcastically, "How far a long?" Everything depended on this answer and he held his breath in anticipation.

"I don't know, maybe 19-20 weeks… almost as far along as I am I guess. What? Are you ok?" Liz asked suddenly concerned by his reaction.

Jason had known before she had even said the actual time that he was going to be a father, he had just not dared to believe it and upon hearing his suspicions confirmed he had turned back toward the mini-bar his whole body shaking with joy and laughter. Carly was pregnant with his child!

"Do you want a drink? I've got anything, scotch, whiskey, or water?" He asked politely pouring a generous shot of whiskey in a glass for himself.

"Drink? No… what's going on?" Liz was truly confused at Jason's behavior, was he going to act like nothing was happening?

"Well, normally when someone is toasting an occasion a drink is used… but if you don't want one… cheers!" Jason smiled and shot the whiskey down in one clean swallow.

"Toasting? Ok, Jason you are starting to freak me out." Liz frowned.

"Well, apparently, I am going to be a father and I think that just might be a good reason to celebrate, don't you?" Jason smiled as Liz's jaw dropped and for once she was stunned speechless. Carly would have loved this reaction, he thought.

Carly… alone out there with his child… unprotected, well except for Milo, but he as just a bodyguard…

"Look, I'd love to stay and chat, but I'm in a hurry to catch my flight…" Jason picked the petite woman in front of him off the ground and spun her out of his way.

"Flight?" Liz was still in shock.

Jason smiled, a smile so happy and full of joy, a smile that Liz had never seen before and reached for the door, "Yeah, I'm going to get my family."

Jason threw instructions to Carlos over his shoulder to escort Ms. Spencer out and he headed to the elevator. Unfortunately, his good news was overshadowed by a job he really wasn't looking forward to. If he guessed correctly, Sonny had no clue about the night his ex-wife and best friend had spent together… and he had no clue about the baby…

But, truthfully, at this particular moment Jason couldn't care less if Sonny tried to shoot him… he was a man on a mission…

Just when you think things are going to come to an end… twists await around the corner… Does love really conquer all? ; )


	18. Chapter 18

Sorry for the delay in getting this chapter up. I had issues uploading the last chapter… I want to thank everyone sincerely for leaving me such nice reviews! Unfortunately, my obvious dislike for the Liz- as she is written now as opposed to when she was written as meant to be with Lucky- (I am fed up with their whole Liason poop…) anyway… on with the story… Serendipity

Chapter 18 Consequences

Jason drummed his fingers restlessly as he watched the scenery passing by in a dark blur. It was later than he had anticipated on arriving, but that couldn't be helped. Not only was he completely impatient about reaching Carly and his unborn child, but he was now completely filled with anxiety. Would this baby change everything? Was everything ok with the baby, or was that one of the factors that had kept Carly from telling him about her being pregnant? So many questions and only one way to get the answers he so desperately needed.

Gingerly running a hand over his swollen lip, he smiled as he remembered his confrontation with Sonny… Looking back it was comical, but at first he had been sure that Sonny was going to explode.

"Ah, Jason, you have great timing! I have finally run Alcazar to the ground. Apparently, he has located Skye and they are stuck in…"

"Sonny, we need to talk and it's important." Jason interrupted.

"Ok, but I fail to see what's more important than getting to Alcazar. He is completely vulnerable right now. Skye just gave birth and they can't…"

Holding up a Jason interrupted once again, "I don't have the time to worry about Alcazar right now. If Skye is with him then he is going to return home fairly soon… But, I can't worry about him or the business right now…"

Sonny started to get annoyed, "How many times have we talked about getting distracted? Distractions get you killed… I mean, what's the problem… is it Sam?"

Jason figured he would save a lot of time and energy by just getting to the heart of matters- he would need his energy to duck or throw himself behind the couch if Sonny started shooting he thought.

Taking a deep breath he blurted out, "Carly's pregnant. The baby is mine. I am going to get them and bring them home."

Silence took over the room and the only sound that could be heard was the faint ticking of the clock over the fireplace.

Sonny froze, a look of shock on his face, his hands clenching and unclenching by his sides.

"Look, it happened once, ok… The night of the blackout, we were drinking…" Jason began to explain, anxious to not go into details, but to try and smooth things over as best he could.

What he wasn't expecting was Sonny's fist flying through the air and into his face. Unprepared he had flown back and fallen to the floor.

Lifting a hand to his face, he touched his cut lip and came away with blood on his hand.

I guess it's too late for trying to be civil he thought as he looked down at the ground and pushed himself up.

Suddenly a handkerchief was in his face and Sonny was pulling him up as if nothing had happened.

"Alright, we got my animosity over the situation out of the way. Now I want to know what your intentions are towards my ex-wife…" Sonny folded his arms across his chest and leaned toward his desk.

"She's carrying my child, Sonny; I want her here with me… I want her and my child." Jason stated plainly blotting at his lip.

"That's great, but how many times have you had to remind me that it's not what I wanted that mattered, that it was what she wanted? Do you even know what Carly wants?" Sonny asked quietly.

Jason frowned, "What do you mean? We were talking about giving us a try when she left…"

Sonny interrupted, "She's in love with you, Jason and she won't accept anything less from you and what I want to know is… Do you love her? Or is it the baby that you really want?"

Running a hand through his hair in frustration Jason sighed, "I don't know if I am capable of love… Look what love has done to you guys… what it did to me and Sam… Look, all I know is that the thought of not having her in my life, with or without my child, is like not having air to breathe… I can't live without her."

Sonny smiled. Inside he might have been aching over the thought of his ex-wife carrying another man's child, but because it was _this_ man… the one man Carly was meant to be with, somehow all the hurt and anger that could have accompanied this news of her relationship with Jason just didn't seem to matter…

Sonny reached out and patted the younger man on the shoulder, "If you're asking me for my blessing, then you have it. Just make sure you know what you want… Carly, will probably ask you the same questions and if you don't know the answers, or if you hesitate… Just make sure you know what you want and you are doing everything for the right reasons…"

Jason hadn't needed him to say anything else. He had added that although he was glad Sonny would support their relationship, he would have gone after her with or without Sonny's blessing…

Still what Sonny had said played over and over again in the back of his mind. He knew that Carly's pregnancy changed everything. They couldn't take things slow like he had originally wanted. They would get married quickly and quietly and the baby would be born with both his/her mother and father together- a family… He smiled at the thought of holding his child in his arms… in his mind he could see a little blonde-headed girl with impish brown eyes… or maybe a little boy that looked just like him… His heart was full to bursting with love for a life that he hadn't even known existed until 24 hours ago.

Stan had been able to locate the resort Carly and Lulu were staying at and he had managed to arrange a flight to Aspen and to have a car waiting at the airport for his arrival as fast as he could. But, it still seemed to take forever and he had gotten a later start than he would have liked.

What would he say to Carly, the woman who was going to be giving him something he had secretly wanted more than anything in the world?

Back in PC- 19 hours ago

"So how do you feel about that?" Alexis asked, concern shinning in her eyes.

Sonny took a deep breath, "You know, I always thought it would hurt more… I mean, I couldn't stand the thought of her having Alcazar's child when she was with him. It killed me to think about her moving on with Jax, but this is just different… like it's somehow easier to accept… Does that make sense?"

Alexis pondered his statement for a minute, "Yeah, it does actually. It's kind of like them getting together again means that than things have come full circle. I can't say I am surprised though, they have always had some kind of bond… something that you can't see but it was always there. Now, her being pregnant… that was something I did not expect. "

Sonny sat there and stared at Alexis for a moment. Lately he seemed to find himself visiting her just to talk. Somehow it was easier to talk to her than with anyone else. Even here in the hospital waiting room, he felt so comfortable in her presence. Even losing her hair and going through chemo, Alexis still had this quiet and classy beauty about her that made him want to sit with her for hours. Maybe things were coming full circle he thought with a smile…

"Alexis, would you mind if I came over later and cooked you and the girl's dinner?" He asked letting his dimple work its magic.

Alexis felt her face flush and laughed, "I may be losing my hair, but not my mind Corinthos… only an idiot would pass up on your cooking…"

The two friends were so lost in conversation, that they didn't notice several pairs of ears listening intently to their whole discussion…

Several pairs of ears, and several different reactions… jealousy, hatred, happiness and concern being a few of the emotions being felt by the news that Carly Corinthos had at last succeeded in getting her guy… Jason Morgan… and apparently she was carrying his child.

Jason frowned as his car pulled through the gates to the Vail Cascade Resort and Spa. Emergency vehicles and small crowds were scattered in various places surrounding the main building and the flashing nights stuck out vividly in the dark night. His heart was pounding as he called up to Carlo in the front seat. His loyal bodyguard pulled the car to a stop as close to the main building as he could and looked at his boss in question.

"Carlos, something's going on up there… Get out and find out what you can. I'll go and ahead and walk back to the cabin Carly and Lulu are staying in…" Jason had a sinking feeling as he stepped out of the car and onto the icy pavement.

Pulling out the resort map that Stan had printed off line he quickly scanned the quickest route to the cabin and took off, feeling a sense of urgency to reach his destination. As he passed group after group of people he caught bits and piece of conversation. Words like explosion… fire… seemed to be coming from every direction. His feet felt heavier and heavier and his whole body felt weighted down with dread. He had known before he had even gotten close to where Carly's cabin should have been that somehow she had been involved.

Firemen stood off to one side spraying water on the remains of what had once been a luxurious cabin… all that remained was a shell of debris, flames, smoke and fear.

"Boss…"

Jason turned numbly to face his employee. Somehow he knew instinctively what he was about to hear.

"I'm sorry Boss. There was an explosion. Mrs. Corinthos and Ms. Spencer, along with Milo were supposed to have been in side. They've recovered a body, and are saying that there weren't any survivors." Carlos watched as the calmest, and one of the most ruthless men he had ever met crumbled before his eyes.

Jason didn't think… he just went wild with grief. Running toward the flaming building he screamed in agony.

It took four cops and two firemen along with Carlos to stop him from running into the flames. Carlos had finally had to knock his own boss senseless to get him to stop his madness.

He watched worriedly as the cops handcuffed Jason and sat him in the back of a cop car… so he wouldn't harm himself they said sadly, as Carlos tried desperately to get Jason released. He didn't know what to do as he watched his employer sit there in quiet anguish, not saying a word… just sitting in silence. All he knew for certain was that it would take an act of god to keep Jason Morgan from killing whoever had been responsible for the explosion.

Somehow though despite what he was seeing, despite what his mind was screaming, Jason just didn't feel like Carly was really gone… If she were dead wouldn't he be able to feel it?

He was brought out of his trance by a familiar voice… someone was leaning into the police cruiser and shouting at him…

"For god sakes Morgan, pull yourself together and let's get out of here!" Luke Spencer stood staring at the young man.

"Luke? What in the hell are you doing here?" Jason muttered as Luke drug him out of the car and the police officer standing beside him started unlocking his handcuffs.

"Ah nephew, it's good to see you too. I explained to this kind officer that you were suffering from temporary insanity when you thought your wife and cousin might have perished in the fire… Now, let's just go back to the airport and on the way we can discuss what's happened." Luke talked calmly and quietly as he nodded over to Carlos and led the two men towards Jason's rental car.

A spark of fury lit in his eyes as Jason tried to wrap his mind around all of the reasons Luke Spencer was here and not seeming a tad bit concerned that his daughter and niece were victims of a deadly crime.

"Listen to me good young grasshopper, it isn't safe here… as soon as we are on board _my_ jet I'll be happy to pour you a good stiff drink and explain everything to you in detail." Luke patted the tense man on the back and waited for Jason to give his "lackey" the order to unlock the car.

"Carly?" Jason asked not moving until he heard what he wanted so desperately to hear.

"Great, glowing in her pregnancy and growing I might add…" Luke smiled gently and reaching for the car door he waited patiently.

Heaving a sigh of relief, Jason nodded for Carlos to unlock the door and drive them to the airport.

Once aboard the jet, he watched as Luke poured them both a good stiff drink and settled in his seat.

"So… what in the hell is going?" Jason growled in frustration.

"Well my friend, someone is trying to kill Caroline and I hate to be the one to break it to you, but you led them straight to her." Luke raised his glass in a mock-salute and began his story.


	19. Chapter 19

To keep it brief- Thanks… A personal note to Jade- I agree and you won't be disappointed! The moment you are all waiting for…. Serendipity

Chapter 19- Revelations

A sense of peace crept over her as Carly sat in the sand listening to the crashing waves and watching Lulu and Milo splash each other playfully down the beach. Today had been a particularly lovely day and they had all spent the afternoon like children laughing and playing in the water and enjoying the fresh air.

Closing her eyes for a moment, she let the setting sun warm her face. They would have to go in soon and she wanted to enjoy every single moment of the glorious sunset.

Suddenly, a sense of awareness crept over her. It wasn't a noise or anything obvious that caught her attention, nor was it a sense of danger or a threat being present. It was just a feeling that someone was watching her… and a tingle of awareness swept her from head to toe.

Turning she shaded her eyes and swept a glance up the beach toward the villa. Someone was walking towards her… not hurrying, but steadily making their way closer.

Squinting, she somehow knew it wasn't Luke or any else that might normally drop by… But, then again…

Shaking her head she blinked back the tears in disbelief as she realized without a doubt just who the mysterious person was.

Jumping up as fast as she was able to, she wanted to run into his arms… but common sense out-weighed her impulse as she thought about her delicate condition and his possible reaction. Did he know about the babies? Why was he here? If she ran to him would she fall down in the sand like an idiot?

Her heart climbed slowly to her throat as he got closer and closer and suddenly she couldn't stop herself from rushing towards him throwing all sense of caution to the wind.

"Jason! Jase!" Carly shrieked as joyous laughter bubbled over. He was here… this wasn't a dream!

Jason smiled at her exuberance and decided that it might be a good idea to get to her before she fell and he jogged the rest of the distance between them and opened his arms wide just as she threw herself at him. It was a move that they had perfected over the years and felt as natural as shaking hands to them.

Not saying a word they just stood there and held onto each other tightly enjoying the moment, both feeling more complete than they had since she had flown away from Port Charles.

Slowly Jason pulled away from the trembling and obviously pregnant woman.

Even in the loose dress the outline of her rounding stomach was obvious. He couldn't stop himself from looking her over from head to toe searching for the obvious changes her condition would have made. Frowning he couldn't help remembering how big she had been about the same point in time in her pregnancies with Michael and Morgan. Surely she was showing way too much to be carrying his child, was she further along than he had thought… had he miscalculated?

His heart clenched and he cleared his throat, "I… I probably shouldn't have come."

"Probably? Why?" Carly was puzzled by this sudden change of attitude.

He stared at her swollen belly and placed his hands softly upon it. With tears in his eyes he looked up, "I wanted this baby to be mine. You're too far along…"

SMACK!

Jason flinched as Carly hit him over the head, "You idiot! I can't believe that you of all people would be so ignorant! What makes you think they aren't yours… and how _dare_ you insinuate that I'm _big_…" Carly huffed and started stalking away toward the house.

Jason made a move to follow her, but something she said froze him to his spot… obviously the lack of sleep was finally starting to hit him… as was the good amount of whiskey he had imbibed with Luke on the flight here.

"Jason!" Lulu giggled as she waddled up to him. A quiet and unsure Milo followed closely behind carrying a beach bag.

"What are you doing here? Are you completely shocked? I told her you would faint when you found out about the twins, but she didn't believe me… Where's she heading anyway?" Lulu was talking a mile a minute and Jason just stood there staring at them in confusion. When had Lulu started giggling? Since when did Milo wear shorts and a T-shirt? Did Lulu just say…

TWINS… They, their, two… he was having twins…

Lulu stood in silence as a goofy look appeared on Jason's face. It suddenly occurred to her that he must have said or done something wrong if Carly was stomping off in a snit and as her cousin's keeper it was her job to set him straight.

"Now look, you can't be mad… It wasn't as if she wasn't ever going to tell you about the twins…" Lulu began, "Well, how do you like that? He just took off… I had a few things I wanted to say to him."

Milo smiled and wrapping his arms around Lulu he laughed.

"I know you do sweetie, but I think that they need to talk before you lay down the Law of Lulu… so, why don't you and I go take a shower… and I happen to know that Esmeralda whipped up a batch of those sopapilla-things for you…"

Lulu smiled and started walking away, "I guess I could have a snack while they talk… you think she remembered to pick up some honey?"

Carly stood on the deck glaring as Jason sheepishly ran up the steps.

"For your information, Dr. Lee says I am a perfect size at this stage and…" She began in ready to let Jason have the full taste of her raging hormones.

Jason stopped her mid-sentence by dropping to his knees and placing his hands on her hips he placed a reverent kiss on her stomach.

Looking up with tears in his crystal blue eyes he asked, "Twins, huh?"

Carly was so emotional about his reaction that she could only sniffle and smile giving him a slight not in the affirmative.

Slowly Jason stood up and lifting her off the ground he spun her around with a loud whoop of laughter.

"WE'RE HAVING TWINS!!!" He announced to the world out loud as with joyous laughter he lowered her feet to the ground and led her over to a lounge chair.

Sitting down carefully he pulled her into his lap and held her tight in his arms, his hands folding protectively over her precious cargo.

"You aren't mad?" hesitantly Carly asked.

"That we're having twins or that you left town without telling me you were pregnant or that you lied about where you were going or…" Jason drawled sarcastically.

"All right, all right, I should've told you… but, I had to make sure that the babies and I were completely safe and let's face it… sometimes its better when fewer people know…" Carly tried to explain.

With an offended groan Jason interrupted, "What? You don't think that I would keep you and the kids safe?"

"It's not that Jason. I trust you with my life, you know that. I just couldn't trust the environment back home and staying would have put both me and the babies at a greater risk." Carly decided the less he knew about her blood pressure problems the better, if Dr. Lee called back with her test results and said that Carly had to come home then she would tell him. There was no sense in both of them worrying about it.

"So you are ok? The babies are healthy? Do you know what we're having?" Jason fired off the questions eager to hear everything about his growing children.

Laughing Carly answered the best she could, "I am fine… tired, swollen, and growing bigger by the second. The babies are both doing well. We are monitoring their growth carefully and I am on moderate bed-rest until my due date… which may come earlier given my pregnancy history and because there are two little angels in here as opposed to the usual one…" Carly finished and leaned happily back into Jason's arms, content to just feel him next to her again.

"Ah, Caroline- I see you're still enjoying Esmeralda's cooking. How're the kids?" Luke asked casually as he sauntered out onto the deck.

"Lulu and Milo are coming in… Hold on… Kids, as in my children? You mean you knew that Carly was pregnant with twins and you didn't tell me?" Jason asked suspiciously.

"Come on Morgan… you can't blame an old man for wanting to have a little fun… especially since you have forced me to have to pack up two hormonal shrews and unleash them on Port Chuck…" Luke snickered as Carly rolled her eyes as the hormonal shrew part.

"We can go home?" Lulu asked excitedly sneaking up behind Luke and whacking him on the back as he choked on his beverage.

Sputtering Luke mumbled, "Shouldn't sneak up on old people during happy hour…"

"Well, we were coming home at the end of the week anyway remember that Lulu is getting close to traveling restrictions. But is it safe for me to come home?" Carly asked hopefully. She couldn't wait to get back to the boys and she was really, really looking forward to flaunting her pregnant status now that Jason knew.

Jason grimaced, "No… Well, yes you guys are coming home… But, something has happened."

Carly sat up and started getting frantic, "What happened? Did something happen to the boys?"

"Calm down, little woman, what ole' blue-eyes is trying to tell you is that I have lost some good contacts out in Colorado to a bombing because he couldn't wait to rush to your side." Luke finished somberly.

"A bombing… the cabin?" Carly felt nauseated as she took in exactly what that meant.

"It could've been us…" Lulu gulped and grabbed for Milo's hand. He still couldn't figure out how she did it. He never had to say a word; she just always seemed to instinctively know when he was near.

"Is that why you two are together?" Carly asked.

"Actually, the funniest thing happened. A little over 48 hours ago, I was preparing to sit down to a nice meal at the Q's table when Monica came through the door and gave Alan a toast… on his impending grandfather-hood. It seems the good doc overheard Sonny and Alexis talking at the hospital and she was a little concerned that her "other" son was now fathering a child with you…" Luke laughed at the put out expression on Carly's face.

"Great! I am sure they'll be banging down the door demanding a DNA test… wait- Did you just say Sonny, as in my ex-husband, and Alexis were discussing _my _pregnancy?" Carly shrieked.

Jason stiffened, "I kind of had to tell him, Carly. You can't expect me to just leave town without a word to him and I wanted him to hear it from you or me and not from the hospital welcoming committee."

"Welcoming Committee? Let me guess St. Robin somehow found out about my "interesting condition" and just felt it was morally imperative that you know what the _EVIL_ Carly was up to?" Carly snorted sarcastically and exchanged glances with Lulu.

Jason took a moment to compare just how similar the two blondes looked at the moment… except for height difference, they could have been sisters.

"Um, actually it was Elizabeth… not Robin." Jason laughed at how accurate she had been about the "morally imperative" statement.

Pushing away from Jason Carly frowned, "You believed her didn't you… you thought I was up to something evil, until Luke told you the baby was yours…"

Jason couldn't help but feel guilty for Carly thinking that. He had done this to her, he had made her believe that he would always believe the worst of her when it came down to her or Liz.

"Actually, I offered her a drink to celebrate our good fortune and the last time I checked Carlos was picking her jaw up off the penthouse floor."

Carly beamed a smile of pure sunshine at the man sprawled out beside her. "You really did that?"

Jason leaned forward and with a hopeful look whispered, "You think I could upgrade my status a little… I don't want to be the boy on the _side_ anymore… if it's alright with you, I'd like to be the boy _by_ your side instead."

The answer was in her eyes as she threw her arms around his neck and kissed him soundly.

With Lulu cheering in the background and Luke yelling to get a room the two best friends laughed in embarrassment.

Carly smiled contently as she nestled back into Jason's arms and staring into the sunset she was full of hope… Surely now everything would go their way…

Don't worry the story isn't over… More to follow…


	20. Chapter 20

Chapter 20- Reactions

Everything was going horrible… Carly thought with frustration.

Nothing seemed to be working out right. Here they were only 4 to 6 weeks away from Lulu's due date and Milo had to go and ask her to marry him. She had agreed of course and then the uproar had started.

Dillon was concerned of course that his child would be residing under the same roof of a mob "soldier" while he was off going to film school in California. Edward was huffing and puffing about Lulu being too young and "the damn mob" stealing his heirs.

Carly was almost glad that Edward was worrying about Lulu at the present moment because from the day she had returned he had been "stopping by" and "in the area" a lot just to see how she was feeling and to see if she was needing anything.

He had been amazingly overjoyed by her pregnancy. Though he was constantly bemoaning the fact that he hadn't had access to Michael as he was growing up and how he hoped that Carly would let the babies be a part of the Quartermaine family.

Carly hadn't needed to point out that Jason was not A. J. and that the threat that had existed when Michael was younger was gone.

Jason had surprisingly enough gone to see Monica to officially tell her that he was going to be a father. Monica had been emotional, as all mother's get when they find out their child was going to be a parent… though she was skeptical that Carly would make Jason happy.

What hadn't been expected was Alan's explosion and refusal to talk about Carly and Jason's "good fortune". He still resented what "Carly had done to A. J." and looking back sometimes she wished that she had handled everything differently with A. J. because then he might not have led her to believe that Michael had been killed. That was something she would never wish upon anyone and something she prayed nightly would never happen again.

Sighing she pushed those brooding and dark thoughts away. She was currently waiting for Lulu to come out of the dressing room in one of the maternity bridal creations that she was paying a small fortune to have made for Lulu's special day.

When Lulu had joked about seeing if they could get a discount for two dresses or buy two for the price of one, Carly had laughed as if everything was ok.

But, in the inside she was so scared and confused. Jason hadn't said anything about getting married, or even living together.

The one time Carly had mentioned it she had to point out that she liked living in a house and that her current house was too small and she absolutely refused to live in a penthouse environment again.

Jason had ended the discussion quickly by bribing her with pizza… the man sure knew her weaknesses.

Other then the occasional tendency he had to hover over her whenever they were together, he had been amazing. From keeping the boys busy so she could rest in the afternoons and delivering fresh chocolate cake in the middle of the night, he was always making a conscious effort to please her.

"Wow… I look like I swallowed a basketball…" Lulu wailed as she stepped out for Carly's inspection.

"Oh, please… I am almost as big as you are and I still have awhile to go… actually, if I weren't so tall, I would've passed you up by now." Carly chuckled giving Lulu a thorough appraisal.

Looking in the mirror Lulu smiled, "Actually, I kind of like it… Do you think Milo will like it?"

Lulu was standing in front of the mirror modeling an empire-waste dress of light chiffon clinging to all the right curves in the palest shade of light blue. The dress gave her an ethereal look and Carly was stunned at how beautiful her cousin was.

Standing up she walked over to the younger woman and lifted a lock of blonde hair off her shoulder.

"Lulu, there are no words for how beautiful you look. Milo would have to be blind to not think you were the most amazingly attractive woman in the world." Carly smiled and brushed a stray tear from her eye.

"Damn, hormones… Ok, let's get you out of this dress… I have exactly fifteen minutes to get to the hospital before Jason sends out a search party." Carly quickly turned to reach for a hanger and the world tilted crazily.

"Carly?" Lulu reached out to help Carly sink into a chair.

"Wow… I am not feeling so hot… I think I just spun around too fast…" Carly groaned as her stomach tightened and she felt a sharp stab of pain.

"I'll get dad, he's supposed to pick me up… he can drive us to hospital… Do you want me to call Jason?" Lulu was quickly changing into her clothing and watching Carly with concerned eyes.

"No, it's ok. Your groom-to-be is waiting to pick me up and if I know Jason he is at this very moment pacing the hospital floor." Carly put on a smile and forced herself to stand up, "You go on home… I'll be there in a jif.."

Lulu watched in horror as Carly collapsed to the floor in a dead heap.

"HELP!!! Somebody…" Lulu didn't bother to check to see if her shirt was inside out or not she just pulled over head and continued hollering.

Two sales ladies followed closely by Luke and Milo came running asking questions and anxiously hovering over the unconscious woman until Luke had ordered everyone to back up and give the poor woman some air.

Carly was coming to when Milo swooped her up like an avenging angel and headed for the door.

"Milo?" Carly asked weakly, trying to figure out how she had ended up in the young man's arms.

"It's alright Ms. C. I am just taking you to the hospital…" Milo reassured her gently.

"C-aar-lyy… My name is Carly… or did returning to Port Charles zap your memory? uhhh… hey Milo… I'm sorry…" Carly groaned.

"What for…." Milo started to ask as Carly threw up down the front of his suit… his _favorite_ suit, he thought in horror.

"Oh god!" Carly shrieked in mortification.

"Milo… why are you stopping?" Lulu bellowed as she caught up to them.

"Yikes… that is disgusting. DAD! Grab some paper towels or something… Oh, forget it!" Lulu yelled over her shoulder as she pushed Milo back into action.

The ride to the hospital was every bit as dramatic as Carly's exit from the Bridal Boutique. Carly threw up twice more in the car. She was embarrassed, miserable, and worried. The twinges in her stomach had gotten sharper which had to mean something was going on with the babies. Twenty-five weeks was way to earlier, she thought miserably.

Amazingly enough Jason and Emily met the car with a gurney and Carly had never been more relieved in her life. Apparently, Luke had called ahead and Dr. Lee was already in route to the hospital.

Jason gently reached into the car and wrapped Carly in his arms and lifing her out if she didn't weigh a thing.

"Oh Jase… I threw up…" Carly groaned.

"I can see that, baby… Hold on. I am going to lay you on the gurney ok. I'm not going to leave you." Jason tried to control the fear in his voice, but wasn't very successful.

"I'm ok." Carly said as he laid her down gently, reaching up she pressed her hand to his cheek, "We're ok. I just ate too much or something… We'll be fine."

She managed to grit her teeth when a pain hit her, but Jason could tell by her pale face and tiny gasp that she was holding back. It was so like her to hide her pain and fear just to make him feel better.

Following closely behind he heard Milo say something about going home to change and Lulu was having Bobbie paged over the intercom. Nothing else mattered but his life being wheeled beside him. This woman and the babies inside of her were all that mattered.

"Alright Carly… Let's get you hooked up to the fetal monitor… You think you can pee in a cup?" Dr. Lee asked walking briskly in the ER door behind them. Quickly and efficiently she had the ER dancing to her tune as she ordered tests and assessed her patient. In a matter of minutes Carly was set up in an exam room.

"Mr. Morgan, I understand that you want to stay here with her, but I need you to step out of the exam room for just a second, ok. I promise I'll take good care of her." Dr. Lee smiled and gently led Jason toward the door.

Jason wanted to argue, he opened his mouth to argue, but the door closing in his face stopped him flat. So he began to pace…

Fifteen minutes later he was still pacing. No one had told him anything and the traffic in the room had increased in the last five minutes.

Lulu sat with Luke in the waiting room whispering reassurances to her son lying happily in her womb telling him softly that his aunt and cousins were going to be fine. Luke was waiting for his sister to show up but she had been off today and he had just barely managed to get a hold of her.

"Jason?" Monica walked up to him, reaching to pull him into her arms. She didn't care if he pulled away, just for the moment she wanted to comfort her child the only way she could.

And for once, Jason didn't pull away or tense up.

With tears in his eyes for once, he allowed his feelings to show, "Monica… Mom, they haven't said anything. I need to know, I need to be with her."

Monica was so moved by his display of emotion that she felt tears stinging her own eyes.

"I'll check on her ok." Monica squeezed his hand and went into the exam room.

The minutes passed by so slowly that Jason was sure something horrible was going on in that room… They were keeping Carly away from him… What if she was dying?

To hell with waiting, he thought about to burst through the closed door when Monica stepped out into the hallway with a small smile on her face.

"Well, the good news is that Carly is as tough as they get, and apparently you two have passed that on to your children." Monica continued after a deep breath, "Dr. Lee has made the decision to monitor Carly for the next few days and if she goes home she will be on full bed rest. Despite all the precautions they have been taking her blood pressure is way too high and she is developing what a conditioned called Pre-eclampsia. Right now she is stable and the pain she was feeling was not contractions, but upper gastric pain- a common symptom of pregnancy induced hypertension."

"Ok… so this means that she's fine. We just have to monitor her closely right… keep her in bed?" Jason asked feeling hopeful for the first time that evening.

"I'm not going to lie to you, Jason. If we can't control her blood pressure and her diagnosis changes from pregnancy induced hypertension to pre-eclampsia than we can't do anything for her except deliver the babies." Monica said and put her hand on Jason's shoulder, "The longer we can keep the babies inside her, the better chance they'll have to survive."

"But, what about Carly? What can happen to her?" Jason asked, fully aware that Carly would always put her children first even if that meant hurting herself.

"Seizures, strokes… even death. It's very serious. But, let's not worry about that ok. You have to think positive and you have to be strong because she's going to need you."

"See that's where you have it wrong. She makes me strong. Any strength I have, it's because she as always been on my side… she has always been the strong one." Jason said as he quietly thanked his mother and went into Carly's room.

"Hey you, I thought you'd run for the hills…" Carly joked as Jason walked over to the hospital bed.

"There's nothing in this world that could make me leave you… don't you get that by now?" Jason smiled and took Carly's cold, slender hand in his.

"I take it Monica told you about my pregnancy being high-risk." Carly asked.

"Why didn't you tell me? I wouldn't have been plying you with pizza and French fries…" Jason felt guilty for all of the junk food he had been supplying lately.

"That is why I didn't tell you… and I have a confession to make… " Carly bit her lip nervously.

"What? Are you ok? Don't tell me where having triplets!" Jason sat down on the bed carefully.

"Bite your tongue! No… no triplets. If it makes you feel better I haven't been eating the junk food… I just didn't want you to feel bad and so I have been sending it to your guys through Milo." Carly whispered with a twinkle in her eyes.

"You mean you have been fattening up my guys…" Jason chuckled and gave Carly a kiss on the top of her nose.

"Well, they need a little pampering too sometimes… besides that's how I keep track of you." Carly stuck out her tongue impishly.

"Bribery by food… god, I love you!" Jason laughed.

Carly froze, "You what?" the smile disappearing from her face.

Realizing what he said, Jason realized that he didn't want to deny it and sure as hell didn't want to take it back.

"I love you, Caroline." Jason looked into her eyes intensely and pulling her toward him, he kissed her with all the love he felt in his heart.

Ok… so I am a die-hard romantic- More to follow… BTW any suggestions on the twins names?


	21. Chapter 21

Chapter 21- Hormones and Happiness

"Ok Mr. Man, what's going on?"

Michael stood in the doorway to Carly's hospital room shuffling from foot to foot and not really making eye contact.

"Come here," Carly patted the spot next to her on the bed and smiled encouragingly.

"Leticia says that you have been moping around a lot. Is there something you want to talk about?"

Michael climbed up next to his mom. Breathing in her perfume he relaxed and curled up next to her, even in the hospital room she still smelled good, it was a soothing smell that he had connected to his mom for as long as he could remember.

"I guess I'm a little confused. I mean, first you loved dad and then you guys got a divorce, but you still loved each other. Then you loved Mr. Jax and you guys were going to get married, but you didn't. Are you going to change your mind about loving me and Morgan now that you are having the twins?"

Carly caught her breath. Sometimes it was easy to forget that Michael was only twelve and not twenty… He often tried so hard to be a man, to be "grown-up" and emulate his dad and uncle.

"Oh sweetie, I know it's hard being my son sometimes. I make a lot of choices and do a lot of things that probably don't make a whole lot of sense. But the one constant thing in my life is my love for my children and your Uncle Jason. It never fades, never goes away, if anything it just gets stronger and stronger."

"But you loved dad right, and you still love him?" Michael scowled in confusion.

"I do love him. I do, but it's a different kind of love. I love him because he has loved you most of your life. He has fought to keep us all safe and sometimes he has been an amazing friend. But, my heart is with Jason. You may not understand it now, but some day you are going to love some with your whole heart and you will understand."

Carly pressed a kiss to the top of Michael's head.

"Are you going to marry Uncle Jason?"

Looking up Carly froze, her eyes meeting Jason's and anything she might have said was forgotten.

"Alright you two, you guys plotting to take over the hospital?" Jason teased as he stepped into the room with a grin.

"It's ok Michael, he won't torture us so our plans are safe." Carly teased back, glad that Michael's earlier comment had been forgotten.

"Well, if I can't beat you, I might as well join in, huh? What do you say bud, you want to help me bust your mom out of this place?"

"Really! Alright!" Michael whooped with glee.

Carly shot Jason a questioning glance, but he just smiled.

After instructing Michael to creep down to the nurse's station and borrow the wheelchair by the desk he walked over to the bed and gave Carly a big kiss.

"Hey beautiful, you ready to blow this joint?" Smiling he placed a pretty wrapped package on the foot of the bed.

"For me?" Carly bounced on the bed clapping her hands like a kid.

"Not yet… You can't open it until I go and aid your son in heisting your chariot."

"I'm not supposed to go home until tomorrow." Carly laughed at Jason as he rubbed his hands together in anticipation.

"Ahhh, but I talked to Dr. Lee and she said that I could take you home today… don't tell Michael though. It would ruin his excitement over helping me. Now, I am going to leave, you are going to open your present, and then I'll be back to roll you down for an ultrasound… Now hurry up woman! I am anxious to see my kids!" Jason ducked from Carly's hand swatting at him and laughing exited the room.

Carly leaped at her present in excitement. What could he have possibly bought her?

Ripping threw the wrapping paper and she opened the box carefully and parted the tissue paper. Inside was a soft two-piece knit maternity blouse and skirt, it was simple but elegant and she knew that the vibrant red color would look good on her. Feeling giddy she slipped out of the bed and pulling off her pajamas

The material clung to her curves and didn't make her belly stand out. It made her feel soft and womanly. How could he have picked this out on his own? Smiling, she realized Lulu must have had a hand in it.

Turning from side to side she tried to look in the mirror, but gave it up as a lost cause.

Shrugging she grabbed her make-up bag, she only hoped she looked as good as she was feeling.

"Alright buddy, I was hoping that you and I could have a little man-to-man talk about something very important." Jason tried to keep the smile out of his voice, Michael was sensitive when it came to his mom and he had to do this just right.

Michael gave him a curt nod, "Is this about you and my mom?"

"Yeah, it is. The way I see it, you are the man of the house and it's been your job to look after your mom and brother, right?"

"Yep, sometimes it's hard, but my dad tells me I have to be the man of the house since we don't live with him all of the time." Michael agreed solemnly.

"I know I probably don't tell you as much as I should, but you do a great job, in fact, I don't think anyone else in the world could've done a better job. You know I'm really proud of you right?"

"Mom says I am too old for my age, whatever that means. I mostly just try and keep Morgan out of trouble… it's not too bad."

Jason smiled at the confidence in Michael's voice, it reminded him so much of Carly with a good dose of Sonny.

"The thing is, I know how much you have always wanted your mom and dad to get back together and here I come along and get in the way. I guess that kind of makes you mad at me, huh?"

"No, not really, I mean, I am a little sad because it means mom and dad won't get back together, but it's different because it's you. I mean, it's kind of weird, like you and dad have changed places only he's still my dad and your still you."

Jason laughed at that logic, "That does make it sound kind of weird, but I'm glad you aren't mad. I guess the reason I am asking is because I'd like for you and your mom and Morgan to live with me, and I wanted to ask you before I talked to your mom about it."

Michael considered it for a moment, "That's be cool, but, well, would I have to share a room with Morgan and the twins? Your place is kind of small."

Laughing Jason pulled the little guy in for a hug, "No you wouldn't. In fact, let me tell you about what I have in mind…"

"I see you've recovered."

"Oh god, don't tell me they're still letting you run around the hospital." Carly groaned as Liz sauntered into the room.

"Well, I am having such an easy pregnancy… I mean some women just handle being pregnant better than others. Anyway, Jason fussed at me for working too hard, so I had to promise him that I would cut back my hours. He's such a _good_ friend."

"I am sure Lucky is grateful for Jason's thoughtfulness." Carly mumbled. "So what do you want?"

"Oh, I just have to take your vitals. As much as I'd rather have you keep your mouth closed… would you mind?" Liz smirked as she stuck the thermometer under Carly's tongue.

Knowing that Carly couldn't respond Liz mentioned innocently, "I'm sure you're thrilled that Jason's decided to move into a house. He showed me some pictures… he just couldn't stop talking about how he needed the space for the twins when they came to stay with him… they could each have their own rooms."

"A hoowse?" Carly mumbled.

"Ahh, no talking please." Liz chuckled.

"All of the houses had this great big back yard, just great for kids to play in. He said Cam and the new baby and I were welcome to come over when ever we wanted. Anyway, I think it's so sad really. Jason is so excited about being a father, but he was kind of sad that he wouldn't have full custody… up all done. You have a nice evening." Liz gushed as she sauntered out the door.

"Ugghh! I hope your epidural doesn't work!" Carly yelled after the obnoxious brunette.

Frowning she go back up and walked over to the mirror. Surely Jason wouldn't be planning to buy a house without her… for him and the twins… without her…

"Alright Ms. Corinthos, let's get these vitals taken so we can get you moving. I had a helluva time getting Mr. Morgan to agree to meet you down at the Radiology department. A tad bit overprotective is he?" Epiphany gave Carly a knowing look and grabbed the arm cuff.

"Vitals? St. Liz of the pure was just in here to get them." Carly grumbled as she moved to sit back on her bed.

Snorting Epiphany rolled her eyes, "Nurse Spencer needs to learn to stay on her own floor… I swear if that girl didn't have connections in high places… some folks think they can get away with anything… "

Carly sat patiently through the nurse's commentary about lazy nurses, people getting "free rides", and various other subjects. The only good thing about the whole conversation was that most of it was negative comments directed to one Nurse Elizabeth Spencer.

"There you are, Ms. Jones is going to take you down to Radiology and if I were you Ms. Jones, I wouldn't be slow about it or you'll have one mad daddy tracking you down."

Humming quietly Epiphany bustled out of the room.

What a day! Could it get any more crazy?

"Wow! You look great for a pregnant woman…. I'm not saying that pregnant women look bad, it's just some are so scrawny and pale… they look sickly. I mean, take a look at Elizabeth Webber, Lucky thinks she a goddess, but plee-ase. Anyway, I am so glad that you and Jason are getting together. He's a hottie!"

Overwhelmed by the chatter Carly managed a vague, "Thanks, I think."

"Well, I have to admit, I wouldn't want to be with a guy who was so cold, I mean I don't really know her, but I actually feel sorry for Sam… I mean, imagine finding out you can't have children and then your so-called boyfriend goes out and gets his so-called best friend pregnant. It's just so…"

"Shut up! Just shut up! I refuse to get on that elevator with you. In the first place, I don't know where you get your information or why you think you can talk to me like I am your best friend, but…"

"Sorry… I was just saying that it was sad Jason dropped Sam after he's the whole reason she can't have kids… It's like she was good enough to take a bullet for him, but once the damage is done… see ya! Talk about shallow."

"You have exactly two seconds to get out of my face before I show you exactly why you don't want to be standing near me…" Carly gritted her teeth, breathe woman… she thought in anger.

"Maxie! Epiphany needs some help, I told her that I was heading to Radiology myself, so I'll take Carly on down. You better get moving."

Getting ready to than whoever had just saved her from committing murder, Carly turned in gratitude.

Groaning, she prayed for patience, she may not commit murder, but she was willing to bet she would be ready to scream. God must have a funny sense of humor. She was about to get on the elevator with Dr. Monica Quartermaine for company.


	22. Chapter 22

Chapter 22- Progress

The elevators shutting made Carly feel as if all hope for escape had been sucked out upon their close. She couldn't run, she couldn't hide, she was stuck with Monica and any hope that the other woman would remain silently were crushed when Monica cleared her throat.

The sound of it was enough to make Carly scream, but miraculously she kept her composure.

"Carly, I have been wanting to talk to you and I couldn't quite figure out when the right time would be… so I guess now is as good as any." Monica sighed. "It's an understatement to say that you and I have never exactly gotten along. I don't think we have ever really seen eye to eye on anything… except Jason. We both love him, so I was hoping for his sake we might call some kind of truce, well, not just for him, but for the sake of all three of my grandchildren."

The ding of the elevator opening stopped Carly from making any comment.

Taking opportunity of the rare occurrence of a speechless Carly, Monica leaned down as she started to push the wheelchair.

"For what it's worth, you have my deepest thanks for making my son happier than I have ever seen him." Smiling she pushed Carly into the waiting area.

"Hello, Jason."

"Oh, hey mom, I didn't realize you were working today." Jason smiled as he hurried over to give Carly a kiss. "You look amazing." He whispered to her softly.

He was so focused on Carly that he didn't notice Monica's look of joy at being called "mom". In fact, ever sense the day in the ER he had stopped calling her by her first name all together. He had even stopped by on his own to visit her office twice. She hoped with all her heart that these changes meant that he was starting to let her into his life, and if being romantically involved with Carly was what it took to make this happen then their relationship had her total and complete blessing.

Carly must have had a bewildered expression on her face because Jason was instantly concerned.

"Are you ok? What is it, the babies?"

Carly promptly burst into tears leaving a bewildered Jason and an amused Monica staring at her in puzzlement.

"Hey… hey sweetheart, why are you crying? You don't like the dress?"

"Oh no… I love the dr-ress… I do, but I just want to go home…" Carly sniffled.

"Well, I'll make you a deal. As soon as we finish the sonogram I will have the car waiting out front and we will ditch this place, ok" He smiled reassuringly and brushed a tear from her pale cheek.

Monica leaned in and handed Carly a Kleenex as Carly started looking around the waiting area, "Where's Michael?"

"I'm right over here mom, did you know that Uncle Jason has a bullet that shows up if they take an X-ray… isn't that soooo cool?" Michael bounced over excitedly not noticing the glare that Carly was shooting at Jason.

"Why are you crying? He asked looking from person to person.

Jason leaned down to assure him that it was a "pregnant" lady thing to which Michael nodded his head as if that explained everything and he understood.

"Hello, Michael." Monica gave her grandson and smile wishing she could give him a big hug, but she was unsure how he would react to that.

"Hi, Grandma Monica, Uncle Jason said that I might get to see the twins today, but it's up to mom. Pll-ll-eassse can I mom?"

Carly gave a watery chuckle, "Oh Mr. Man, how can I say no to that?"

"Ms. Corinthos? I'm ready for you." A technician called from a room off the right.

After she gave him a nod to let him know she was ready Jason got behind the wheelchair.

"Let's go Michael… we've got some babies to look at! I'll let you know how it goes mom." He laughed as Michael jumped up and down in excitement.

"Wait!" Carly stopped Jason and threw a glance at Monica over her shoulder. "Well, grandma would you like to see your grandchildren?"

Feeling her eyes well up with tears, Monica smiled, "I'd love to."

"Are you excited?" Carly whispered to Jason, who looked like a big kid that was having a hard time standing still.

"Do you really have to ask?" Jason replied with a grin.

Turning serious he looked deep into Carly's brown eyes, "Don't think you are going to get out of telling why you started crying earlier."

"It was nothing… you're right it was just silly pregnancy hormones. Let's just forget it and enjoy this ok?"

"Wow, we have a crowd in here today. Well, my name is Rebecca and I know you guys are anxious to see these little people, but first I have to ask the big question. Do you want to know the gender of the babies?"

Carly looked up at Jason and smiled, "It's up to you."

Thinking for a moment he answered hesitantly, "Yes… no… wait… no… Definitely no, as I see it, lately a lot of things have been happening to me that have been a total surprise and I couldn't be happier, so let's keep it a surprise."

Monica and Carly shared a good laugh at Jason's indecisiveness… here was "the man of steel" who was normally so cool and collected at all times that he was acting totally out of character.

"Ok, that means if you see anything you recognize Dr. Quartermaine you have to keep it to yourself." Rebecca teased, "Alright I am just going to lift your blouse up and I'm not going to lie this will be a tiny bit cold…"

"Pssst! Grandma," Michael tugged on Monica's sleeve, "You'll tell me if I am having brothers or sisters right?"

Monica was so thrilled that he had actually talked to her on his own that she would've agreed to tell him anything he wanted to know.

"Alright folks, here we go. Can everyone see?" Rebecca asked the little crowd standing around the bed and equipment.

"We are going to be separating the twins by alphabet… Twin A and Twin B. Unfortunately it might be little bit of a squeeze so you won't be able to see everything at once… Yep, here's Twin A…"

Silence filled the room and Jason held his breath. You could see this little face so clearly.

"Is that a nose? I can see his… her… look there's a smile." Jason was so excited.

"Kind of looks like an alien to me…" Michael was tilting his head from side to side trying to figure out what was what.

"Whoops… they're getting a little rowdy in there. Looks like Twin B wants camera time…"

Carly looked up into Jason's mesmerized face, "So what do you think daddy?"

Jason looked at Carly unashamed by the tears shining in his eyes, "There are no words…" Placing a reverent kiss on her lips he turned back to the screen. He didn't want to miss a moment of this miracle.

"Ok, let's check these kiddos out… Opps! Did you see that Dr. Quartermaine?" Rebecca laughed.

"I think I did, you guys sure you don't want to know?" Monica teased.

Jason looked down at Carly and both agreed that they would wait to find out.

Rebecca was careful to point out various body parts such as ears, toes, fingers… everything but the defining equipment. She patiently answered Michael's questions and a few that Jason would later swear he didn't know where they had come from. All in all there was a lot of laughter being heard out in the hallway that left people walking by wondering what was happening inside.

After wrapping up the appointment the excited family walked out into the waiting room full of smiles and laughter.

"Come on grandma, you can trust me… I won't tell as soul…" Michael was doing best to try and get Monica to spill the beans, but she refused to give in to his adorable pleas.

Smiling she silently thanked Carly for including her and turning she gave Jason a big hug.

"Well, I am finished here and I was going to get some ice cream myself… I don't suppose you would want to join me Michael?"

Michael but his hands together and dropped to his knees in front of Carly's wheelchair.

"Get up you nut! I suppose it wouldn't hurt to celebrate with a little ice cream. You just listen to what Monica tells you and mind your manner ok?" Carly looked up at Jason with love shining from her eyes, "You owe me… I seem to recall a promise that we could go home?"

Jason put a hand over his heart, "Lady, anything you want is yours…"

Laughing Carly reached out and grabbed his hand.

"Hey Morgan! Have I told you how much I love you today?"

"Nope… I don't believe you have…" Jason smirked.

"Well you get me out of here in the next five minutes and I'll show you… well… It'll be the G-rated version, but…" Carly wiggled her eyebrows as Jason swooped down and lifted her in to his arms causing her to shriek in laughter.

"This way is faster…" He said heading to the exit, his precious load held tight against his heart.


	23. Chapter 23

Chapter 22- Surprise

"Ok, not that I am not enjoying making out in the backseat of a limo like a teenager, but isn't this ride taking a little longer than it should?" Carly laughed as she pulled away from Jason.

"Nope, seems all too short to me…"Jason smiled and reached for her again.

"Wait a second, this isn't my neighborhood." Groaning Carly recognized the neighborhood, "Please… please don't tell me we are visiting your family."

"We are not visiting my family. Now would you come here?" Jason pleaded prettily.

"Wow… it's been a long time since we've been through here, huh? Do you remember how I used to make you take me through here when you would bring home? God, I love this part of town. So many trees and _real_ gardens… Do you remember that house?"

Jason smiled, "What house?"

Playfully Carly punched Jason in the ribs, "Come on, you remember the house. Our house… the one where we were going to grow old together… I wonder if it has changed any."

"Probably, it's probably old and falling apart by now."

Carly snorted indelicately and craned her neck to look out the car window.

"Oh, there it is! The gates look different and the trees have grown, you can just barely see it from the street now… I wish you could still see the front."

"Why don't we go in and check it out?" Jason asked cryptically.

"Yeah, and have security escort us right back out… no thanks…"

Rolling down the privacy screen Jason yelled up to Milo, "My lady wants to check out this house… why don't you just pull around to the front, Milo?"

"Are you guys nuts?" Carly laughed, but secretly she was pleased that Jason wanted to please her. As the white-washed colonial-style two-story home came into view, Carly fell in love with it all over again. Something about the house being old and full of history called to her. It stood in all it's quit elegance on a rolling green lawn with flower beds and tall oak trees in every direction.

"Look at all the flowers, Jase, can you believe they have flowers here at this time of the year? Those trees must be at least a100 years old, couldn't you just see me swinging on the front porch?"

"Hmmm, maybe we should get out so I could get a better picture?"

Before the car came to a complete stop in front of the walkway up to the house, Jason was jumping out and walking up the front steps.

Carly poked her head out of the open car door, "Jase? Are you crazy? There's this law about trespassing."

"Since when have we lived by the law? Come on, you know you are dying to check this place out. I happen to know the owners, and I really don't think they'd mind."

"Well, alright, but just for a few minutes…" Carly hesitated a moment, but then temptation took over.

Carefully walking up the steps Carly looked around in awe. "Can you believe this place?"

Sure enough on the end of the wrap-around porch there was a swing, as if the house needed anything else to be her ideal dream house, she thought grumpily.

"You don't think the owners would be willing to sell?" Carly asked hopefully, "I just don't think I can walk away from here, you might have to bodily carry me away."

Jason smiled and sat down on the swing, patting a spot beside him, "Come and take a load off… As for the owners, I don't think they'd sell this house in a million years, besides there is some rule about the Country Club Committee having to approve or some snobbery like that."

"Oh," Carly tried to fight of the disappointment as she sank down onto the swing beside Jason.

In silence they sat listening to the birds chirping, the sound of the wind blowing through the trees and rocked back and forth. It was so peaceful and just for a minute Carly could pretend that this was their home.

Glancing in through a window out of curiosity she noticed that the living room was scarcely furnished and well, really very plain in decoration.

"Wow, they sure don't believe in home décor… But, what they have is tasteful… that couch looks exactly like…" The wheels in Carly's head began to turn and things Jason had said and done up until now began to fall into place. Sitting up as quickly as she could, bringing the swing to a stop she knew something was up.

"Jason, who did you say owned this place?" Carly asked in a squeaky voice.

"Actually, if you want to get technical about it… well, you do." Jason answered so calmly that Carly thought he was kidding at first.

"That's not funny. You know how much I love this house!" Carly moaned as she punched Jason in the ribs once again.

"Well, it took a little bribery and very, very generous offer, not to mention a little favor from Edward, but I bought this house... for you." Jason smiled and standing up he swept Carly into his arms again.

"I think I'm beginning to like carrying you like this," He murmured as a softly crying and suddenly speechless Carly clung to him tightly.

"I don't want you to get mad, but I asked Dr. Lee to keep you in the hospital an extra day or two so that I could get this finished. You'll notice that your furniture is all here… but, I thought I'd leave the decorating up to you. There is one condition though."

As Jason gently set her on her feet Carly sniffled with a smile, "What? As if I could refuse you anything."

Taking both of her hands in his head led her through several hallways and into what appeared to be a master bedroom in the back part of the house.

"I don't know if you'll be able to live with this, but I'm hoping you can." Jason stated hesitantly.

"You're nervous? Oh my god, you are actually nervous…"Carly giggled.

Scowling at her Jason took both her hands in his, "This house is yours in the condition that I share this bedroom with you for the next… I don't know fifty or sixty years."

"Oh Jase, you didn't even have to ask." Carly smiled and slid into his arms and attempted to lay a big kiss on him.

"Damn it woman! Let me finish, I've been practicing…"

"You've been practicing?" Carly arched an eyebrow and tried not to laugh.

"Ha ha, I know it's funny, but you don't do something like this everyday and with you, for you… it had to be perfect."

Carly's teasing grin faded and solemnly she looked in him in the eyes and waited.

"We've been everything, from lovers to the very best of friends… You are the one person on this earth who knows me and accepts me. You've never given up on me, even when I've been an ass. So many times I hurt you and you forgave me… You fight for me when I'm too stupid or too proud to fight for myself. Carly, you are my heart, my air… You're everything… ah, damn it, I'm not good at this… Just… Marry me?" Jason asked in a deeper than normal voice showing that he was indeed very emotional about the moment.

Carly smiled through her tears of joy, "I will… on one condition…"

Groaning Jason smiled and pulled her into his arms, "Anything."

"We wait to actually get married until after the babies are here… I know you hate wearing a tux and we've both gone this route before, but… well, it's important to me…"

Jason instantly realized why she was making this request, "You just want to rub it in everyone's face…"

"Damn straight I do!" Carly laughed, "Ouch! See, even your babies agree!"

"Oh no," Jason groaned, "What if their girls? Two miniature Carly's…"

"You'd love it and you know it!" Carly laughed again and pulled Jason in for a kiss.

Against her lips Jason sighed, "Once again you're right… I would."


	24. Chapter 24

Chapter 24- Distractions

"Um, hey Romeo, not that I'm… not enjoying this, but aren't you forgetting something?" Carly moaned as Jason nibbled on her earlobe.

"Nope…"

Carly laughed as she felt herself being slowly walked backward toward the bed. Reaching for the bottom of his shirt she began to tug it up in excitement. It had been too long…

And then everything came to an abrupt halt.

"Wait, Jason… we can't do this…" Carly mumbled as she stepped away from him and started to move out of his reach.

"Oh yes we can…" Jason smiled seductively and then like a panther he slowly began to stalk his prey.

"No… we can't… my legs and ankles are swollen… I look like I swallowed two whole watermelons… seriously. Not to mention that Dr. Lee said absolutely no strenuous activities…" Carly pleaded nervously.

"Carly, you look beautiful to me, you always have, you always will." Jason whispered tenderly and reached out for her hand.

Suddenly shy she slowly placed a shaky hand in his and let him lead her toward the bed.

"I know Dr. Lee said no strenuous activity… so I won't be able to love you the way I want to, but I can wait for that. I'd wait forever if it's what you wanted… But, I want… well, can I…" Jason didn't know how to ask her for what he wanted.

Without him even saying the words Carly knew what it was that he wanted and a feeling of love so strong hit her that she was nearly overwhelmed with it.

Softly she pushed him back onto the bed and with a shy smile she peeled her shirt over her head. Her breasts were heavy and had gotten bigger with her pregnancy. Carly wanted to laugh as Jason's eyes grew round in obvious appreciation.

"Some things have sure change since the last time we were together." Jason chuckled, his eyes roaming over Carly's body in a totally masculine and possessive way.

Slowly Carly slid her skirt down and stood in nothing but her bra and panties.

Once upon a time she would have strutted around showing her body off and reveling in Jason's response. But being so self-conscious about his reaction made her shy and uncertain, which was definitely something she wasn't used to, causing her to blush a rosy pick color from head to toe.

In Jason's eyes Carly had never looked more beautiful and his eyes filled with love and emotion as he reverently placed his hands on her belly and kissed it gently.

"Hey little ones, I'm your dad. I just wanted to let you know that you have the most beautiful mother in the world." Jason whispered against her skin. Looking up at the woman standing over him Jason solemnly thanked her for the gift of her love and their children.

Carly felt tears of joy trickling down her cheeks and she didn't complain as Jason stood up and gently lowered her on the bed.

Never taking his eyes off of her he undressed down to his boxers and climbed on the bed beside her.

Now it was Carly's turn to gawk at the man she had been in love with for most of her life. To her he was magnificent and though time made subtle changes to his body, he was still incredibly gorgeous in her eyes.

Slowly Jason kissed her lips and then placed random kisses in a trail toward shoulder and slid her bra strap down one arm and after a bit of comical machinations he was able to free her completely of the offending contraption, or torture device as he called it while muttering to himself in frustration. Then like an expert he made quick work of the rest of their clothes and Carly couldn't help busting out in laughter as he knelt on the bed panting from his efforts.

Reaching down to the foot of the bed, he pulled up a quilt wriggling his eyebrows dramatically and swooped down over her.

Wrapping it around them like a cocoon, he pulled her naked body against his and held her all the while whispering words of love and praise for her beauty.

"Now that I've got you here… in _our_ bed, I am going to try and stick to whatever resolve and control I have left by suggesting that we do something not in least bit strenuous…I believe you are in need of nap…""

Carly sighed happily and kissed Jason tenderly on the tip of his chin, "You get me naked… and you want to sleep?" Seeing that Jason was trying very hard not to give into the demands of his body she grinned wickedly, "Funny, but you don't feel very tired…"

Groaning Jason removed her wandering hand, "Car-rly, go to sleep…"

Giggling she closed her eyes and realized that she was actually pretty tired of course she'd never admit it…

Fitting her body next to him, their children snuggled safely between them, she was content that she was almost instantly asleep.

Jason smiled with a sigh of pleasure, he wasn't in the least bit tired, but he knew she would need her energy for her other surprise later that night.

"Jason, you really should stop carrying me… or else you'll end up in bed next to me with a broken back…" Carly laughed as Jason carried her through their new home. Most of the rooms need to be redecorated and had very little furniture in them, but that just meant Carly would have a new project to work on while lying in bed until the babies came.

"I had to have the master bedroom moved from upstairs and the bathroom completely redone, but thanks to Sonny and his finesses with construction crews, the guys managed to finish it all by four o'clock this morning."

Carly cocked an eyebrow, "Sonny?"

Jason smiled, "Actually he is handling the change really well, and I believe he and Alexis are actually going on their second date tonight."

"Really? I'm glad… I wasn't sure how he would react and to be honest, we have been avoiding talking about anything other than the boys… Still for him to help you with the bedroom… that you will be sharing with _his ex-wife_…"

Jason laughed, "I know… it boggles the mind… what's even crazier and I hope we don't live to regret it… but, I had to make certain promises to Edward in return for his help with the committee…"

"Oh no! Don't tell me, the babies have to be Quartermaines, go to Ivy League schools and work at ELQ?" She groaned.

"Nope… And you can thank Lulu for that, her son is destined for greatness in Edward's eyes… I got of comparatively easy, in exchange for his cooperation, we are going to be subjected to a few family lunches every month and most holidays. You think you can handle that? Oh, Edward and Lila have to be in the list of names…"

"With you by my side I can handle anything… What in the world?" Carly glanced around in surprise as Jason carried her out the back door and into backyard.

"SURPRISE!!"

Bobbie had been standing next to Lulu and Milo, who were arranging presents on a table next to the swimming pool when she noticed the couple standing at the top of the stairs to the porch. Monica, Edward and a scowling Alan stood off to one side commenting on the flowers and gardening. Sonny was standing with the boys inspecting what looked like the beginnings of a very impressive tree house while Alexis pushed Kristina in the swing. Max, who had apparently gone from bodyguard to babysitter, was busily trying to keep Molly from eating something that looked suspiciously like a bug while Leticia laughed at his antics… Mike was casually flipping burgers on what looked like a brand new gas grill. Of course, the family wouldn't be complete without Tracy and Luke sitting at the poolside Cabana, which had been turned into a mini-bar, bickering about something…

It was a true family affair and Carly smiled, she had always wanted a big family. Tears threatened to spill as she smiled up at Jason. "Damn, hormones…" She grumbled as Jason laughed at her weepy expression.

Knowing his timing was perfect he carefully set Carly on her feet and gave her hand a squeeze.

"Oh my, what is this? A baby shower?" She asked as she noticed a stroller made for twins with a big green and yellow bow on it.

"Well, technically, it's a baby shower, house warming and…" Jason dropped to one knee beside her, "And hopefully an engagement party."

She was so overwhelmed that her body shook in an effort to control the tears of joy threatening to fall and with a watery chuckle she reminded him, "I already said yes remember…"

"I know, but I wanted to make it official… Ms. Caroline Roberts Benson Spencer Corinthos… just kidding…," He quickly quit teasing when he saw her eyes narrow and became serious once again. "Carly, will you marry me?" Jason asked as he pulled a ring from his pocket and placed it on her finger.

"Yes… Jason Morgan, I will…" Carly laughed as Jason whooped in excitement, jumping up and pulling her in for a deep kiss.

Cheers from the crowd brought an end to the magical moment and greeting their guests hand in hand, Carly and Jason joined their family and the night continued with laughter and hope for the future…

This of course, isn't the end… But, I wanted to end this chapter on a positive note. I am not good at writing love/sex scenes (maybe because I'm rusty in that department LOL) so if it needs work please let me know… I feel like something is missing- any suggestions?


	25. Chapter 25

I am trying to wind this up, but I can't drop a storyline like the writers do, so I am going to finish all angles of the story… I feel like this wasn't my best chapter… what do you think?

Chapter 25 Danger

"Doesn't she look beautiful?"

"Yes… just like her cousin…" Jason chuckled giving Carly a peck on her cheek.

"I was so worried that something would go wrong. I could just see Lulu going into labor in the middle of the ceremony. But, it was perfect. Even Luke behaved well- did you see him lay that kiss on Tracy? I thought she was going to faint… who knew the old guy still had it… Anyway, what really cracked me up was Edward catching the garter, his expression was priceless, especially considering he was no where near the bachelors……"

"Ok Ms. Chatty-Carly, I know you have been worrying all day about something going wrong with the wedding, but I know that's not what's really bothering you." Jason smiled as Carly bit her lip and looked away.

"Sometimes I hate that you know me so well," She teased, but then her face became serious. "I guess I'm just dreading going into the hospital tomorrow. I really wish I could just stay home." Carly pouted.

"Dr. Lee says anything could happen the next couple days or even weeks… I'd rather not take any chances with your life, or the babies. So let's just think of it as a vacation."

"A vacation? Jason, they are going to be sticking me with needles every day, watching every thing I eat and drink and monitoring me like a ticking time bomb. That is not the way I pictured waiting for my children to be born."

"Do this for me ok? I promise I'll make it up to you…" He whispered as he kissed her ear.

"Since you put it that way, how can I refuse?" Carly sighed.

"By the way, Sonny and I have given Milo the ok to start working at the hotel. He seems to really be looking forward to it."

"Lulu will be so happy about that. Ugh! Look at my feet… they look like two barges… Oh god! Elizabeth is shooting calf-eyes at you again. Why I have to look like a bloated whale and she looks like a delicate little… it just isn't fair!" Carly grumbled.

Jason rolled his eyes, "Let her stare… you won the prize…"

"You are so conceited!" Carly laughed and punched him in the arm, "But, you are right… and at _our_ wedding, I'm going to flaunt my wedding ring and we are going to dance circles around everyone!"

Jason groaned good naturedly, "I said I'd wear a tux, but do I have to dance too?"

Carly narrowed her eyes and shot him the "you will, but only with me" look.

"Oh Carly! This has been the most amazing night!" Lulu gushed as she walked up. Her face was pink with pleasure and she looked happier than Carly had ever seen her.

"I am glad you liked it." She smiled happily.

"By the way, can I just thank you for the millionth time about letting Milo and I buy your house, or at least letting Milo work on buying it… I already have so many plans…" Lulu rubbed her hands together happily.

Jason and Carly had decided that instead of just giving Milo and Lulu the house, they would make arrangements for the young couple to buy it by making reasonable payments. Once they had explained to Milo that it wasn't "charity" he was more than happy to discuss it.

Milo groaned as he walked up, "Did you know she had me painting the whole nursery this yellow color last night… _last night_. The night before our wedding and she just has to have the nursery re-painted."

Lulu playfully elbowed him in the ribs, "It's not yellow it's morning sunshine or something like that… anyway, I could give birth any minute so it's important that we get this stuff finished."

Milo instantly paled and started to stammer, "Are you… you're not…"

"Oh no, no my husband, I am fine… believe me I am sure you would _know_ if I was in labor… or even if I thought I might be in labor." Lulu laughed at her new husband's bewildered face.

"Well, kids we have truly enjoyed the wedding and subsequent reception, but I have a date a GH tomorrow bright and early." Carly laughed at the young couple.

"Oh yeah, you have to promise that you won't have the babies until Milo and I get back from our honeymoon… oh wait! We aren't going on a honeymoon." Lulu stuck out her tongue and teased her husband.

"Is it my fault that you didn't want to elope when I asked you to?" Milo shrugged. Giving his new wife a tender smiled he wrapped his arms around her and swayed with her on the dance floor.

"Hey, would you mind if I met you at home? I have some business that I need to go over with Sonny." Jason smiled at Carly's scowl.

"Isn't Sonny with Alexis? I believe they left with the kids about an hour ago."

"Carly, I have been really good about being home at night haven't I? So, just smile, give me a kiss, tell me you love me and that you'll see me at home…" Jason's eyes sparkled with laughter.

"Fine… I might love you… and I might see you at home… but I should remind you that this is the last night we will spend together in our bed for awhile…" Carly took a page out of Lulu's book and stuck her tongue out at Jason.

Sitting back with an exhausted sigh Carly closed her eyes happily. What a night! Everything had gone perfect. She only hoped that her wedding turned out just as well. She had so many PLANS… Jason would love every minute of it…

Looking around she noticed a bottle of water that Jason must have left for her and she smiled at his thoughtfulness. Taking a sip she sighed, she hadn't known she was so thirsty and the water was so cool that she drank more than half before she closed the lid and sat back against the seat and closed her eyes again.

The soft music playing on the radio lulled her to sleep as she pictured Jason's face and the way it lit up when he smiled these days.

She didn't know how long she had been asleep, but the twinge in her back told her that it had been awhile. Her eyes still felt heavy from sleep and she yawned trying to collect her thoughts. Rubbing her arms she noticed that not only was she cold, but the car had stopped moving too. Pushing the call button she waited for a response that never came.

"Carlos? Where are we? Why are we stopped?" Carly didn't want to panic, but seeing nothing but trees on either side of the car wasn't very reassuring.

With a shaking hand she rolled down the privacy screen and leaned forward. Something about the way Carlos' head was tilted back on the head rest made her pause.

She knew that he must be dead. She didn't have to see his face or even touch him. The air around her and throughout the car was so cold and still that she could feel death closing in.

Reaching a hand out she felt for a pulse, but stopped when her hand felt a wet, sticky substance and pulling away she stared in horror at the blood.

The poor man's throat must have been slit.

"Oh god… oh god…" Scrambling as fast as she could she pushed the car door open and promptly fell to her knees. Finding a little strength she managed to crawl a few feet away before she vomited. Groaning she looked around and tried to figure out where they were. But, nothing looked familiar and it was so dark that she could only see a few feet past the car in any direction.

Slowly, she pulled herself up and crept back to the car fighting off the nausea and dizziness and trying to focus on putting one foot in front of the other. If she could get a signal on her phone and call Jason then everything would be ok.

A quick glance around the car told her that whoever had killed Carlos must have taken her purse while she was sleeping. Looking up front she knew that she would have to get close to the dead body to see if his phone was gone as well.

Very carefully she opened the driver side door and fighting back the panic and the urge to throw up she searched the body finding nothing. Finally she gave in and beginning to cry she looked around in the hopes that the car keys were still in the ignition, but of course they weren't.

"No… no this can't be happening. I can't be stuck in the middle of no where with a dead body… this just doesn't hap- OUCH!" Carly clutched her stomach and dropped to the ground beside the car. Leaning against the inside of the car door she took at deep breath.

"Ok little ones, momma is going to be very calm here. We are just going to crawl back into the car and wait… daddy is going to find us… so you two just sit tight… owww! This is not the place you want to make your debut, trust me…" Carly took a deep breath and started to move toward the back of the car. The sound of a car coming made her pause. Was it the killer coming back to finish her off? Was it help? Had Jason found her already?

Deciding to play it safe she waddled over to a group of trees and crouched down behind them.

Sure enough within minutes headlights could be seen and trusting her instincts Carly knew that whoever was driving hadn't come to save her. So as carefully as she could she tried to crawl a little further into the woods, her knees were scraping against rocks and pine needles, sticks dug into her hands and legs. As if that wasn't enough to slow her down a pain hit her knocking the breath out of her and she was forced to admit she wasn't going to be able to hide for long.

Two car doors slammed and the sound of voices broke the silence.

"Damn it! Where the hell is she?"

"She couldn't have gone too far… you look over there, I'll take this direction."

Two men… two unfamiliar voices… Carly bit her lip and tried to lay still. The minutes ticked by and except for the occasional rustle everything was quiet.

The sound of a breaking twig behind her told her that she wasn't alone. "Awww! Come on now… where did you think you were going?"

"Please… please I need to go to the hospital…" Carly whimpered as the man picked her up and towed her back to the waiting cars.

"Bruce! I got her… let's get out of here before Morgan gets here…"

"Jason? PLEASE… I need help, I need to get to the hospital!" She screamed and tried to wiggle free of the man's grasp.

"Come on Mrs. Corinthos, you don't want to have those babies here do you? All you are doing is hurting yourself…" The man groaned as Carly sunk her teeth into his hand.

The other guy, Bruce, ran up holding out a handkerchief and held it over her face. The fumes coming off of it told her that it was something to knock her out and she fought the effects as long as she could, but finally the darkness overwhelmed her.

Pulling out a cell phone Bruce dialed his boss, "We got her… you sure you don't want us to… right, we're on our way."

Shaking their heads they arranged Carly in the backseat and drove off into the night.


	26. Chapter 26

Chapter 26

Jason stepped out of Sonny's study to make a quick call Carlos to make sure Carly got home ok. Carly would nag him about being overprotective if she knew he was making the call, but he knew she secretly loved the attention.

Scowling he waited impatiently as the phone kept ringing, and then just as he was about to hang up it sounded like someone answered.

"Hello? Carlos? Hello?" Jason swore under his breath as Carlos' voicemail picked up. Jason couldn't help shake the feeling that something was wrong, so he quickly dialed Stan's number.

"Hey, man. It's Morgan. I need you to get on the GPS tracker and find out where Carlos is in the Limo... Hollybrook Road? Are you sure? I need you to get me a map and fax it to Sonny's… Then I need you to check the police scanner and see if there have been any accidents reported… Thanks."

Jason rushed back into Sonny's office. His face must have showed his concern because Sonny immediately looked up from the paperwork he was going over.

"What's up? Is Carly ok?" He asked worriedly.

"Carlos has been with us for, what, eight years now? How many times have you gotten his voicemail when you called?" Jason tried to control his fear, maybe he was just paranoid.

"Never… he has voicemail?" Sonny tried to joke, but the situation was anything but funny.

"You ever heard of Hollybrook Road?" Jason asked as he walked over to the fax machine where a fax was starting to come in.

"Nope… well, actually, I think it's over near the state park… kind of in the middle of nowhere. Why?" Sonny stood up and walked over to stand beside Jason.

"Because that's where the limo is…" Jason quickly dialed Carly's cell phone number and muttered to himself, "Come on Car… Come on baby."

Sonny walked over to the house phone and quickly dialed Jason's home line.

"Morgan Residence." The voice on the other end answered.

"Yeah, this is Mr. Corinthos. Is Carly home?" He asked noticing that Jason had hung up without talking to Carly.

"Thanks. Sorry man, she didn't make it home. I'll get Max to organize a few of the guys… Let me know when you're ready to go." Sonny put a reassuring hand on Jason's shoulder and quickly left the room.

Dialing another number he waited impatiently for an answer, "Luke… something's gone down, Carly might be in trouble. I need you to get Bobbie and go to my house. I'm not sure, but I've got a bad feeling… Alright, I'll be in touch." Jason quickly hung up. If someone had hurt Carly and his children there would be hell to pay.

Carly tried to pace the small room the thugs had escorted her to, but every other step sent a pain shooting through her stomach.

She had begged and cried, but they hadn't listened to her desperate pleas to take her to the hospital. Finally, she had just gotten good and pissed off and started shouting threats that would make the devil cringe as she proceeded to describe in detail what Jason would do to them if something happened to her or his children.

Something she said must have finally worked because Goon #1 finally agreed to talk to the "boss" and see what the orders were in reference to medical attention. That had been thirty minutes ago.

"Ok kids, momma has to have a serious talk with you. I know you think you are ready to come into the world right now, but trust me… It's not a good idea. For one, there isn't even anyone here to take your pictures… I don't have any clothes or blankets, so you'd be freezing and naked… and your daddy, well, he would get his feelings hurt if he wasn't here to meet you… please, please just go to sleep…" She cooed softly feeling tears trickling down her face as she sank to the ground and leaned back against the wall. Her head had begun to hurt and she knew from experience that meant her blood pressure was getting to high.

"Jason… please find us." She prayed, hoping for a miracle.

The door opening made her jump, but she didn't even attempt to get up.

A familiar face walked through the door and Carly felt rage course through her veins, "You!"

"Surprised? I know… you were expecting some business associate of Sonny's… some man… But, believe me when I say that I am more of a threat to you than any man, sweetheart." Sam McCall purred as she swayed into the room.

"I've dealt with scummier, meaner and believe it or not nastier… _people_ then you… I am not scared of your little skinny ass." Carly hissed and then feeling pain shoot through she tried to hide the flinch that quickly followed.

"Awww, are you having contractions? Oh, this is great! You know, at first I wanted you and the babies to die, so I wouldn't have to raise someone else's brats, but then it occurred to me… These are Jason's babies… and since they will need a mother… Why not? Two babies, none of the stress… But, then again, if they die… no harm done… a grieving father is just as good as a grieving boyfriend." Sam chuckled.

"You're crazy… I _always_ knew something wasn't right about you… but, did I follow my instincts…no, of course not… Sonny somehow managed to convince me that I was just being paranoid… So let's just clear the air shall we?"

Carly crossed her ankles and leaned back against the wall as if she didn't have a care in the world, "Jason does not love you. Maybe he did at one time, it isn't important. The point is that from now until the end of time… you could be the last woman on earth and maybe… that's a BIG maybe, he might get desperate enough to fool with you, but there is no way in hell he would go back to you… It's kind of like going from a nice juicy filet mignon to a generic hot dog…" Carly finished through gritted teeth. God, how she wished that she were in fighting condition because she would already be stomping all over this twit and on her way home.

"So much talk… and really I would love to stay and chat, but I have to get ready to go and offer Jason my support. Sonny is so predictable… he was so worried that he called my mother to agonize over your disappearance… I just happened to be there, so of course I am going to offer to do anything I can… It's so sad." Sam managed to squeeze out a tear.

"When Jason finds out that you are the one behind this, he will kill you, ex-fiancée or not." Carly laughed, "It won't be me that pushes him over the edge… though my death will piss him off… it will be the death of _his children_… These babies mean everything to him…"

"We'll see won't we…?" Sam glowered at Carly as she left the room.

Carly screamed at the closing door in anger and wanting to throw something so badly she took off her shoe and hurled it at the door.

"I don't get it. They kill Carlos… don't even make an effort to cover any of their tracks around the limo and then vanish…" Sonny stood in Jason's living room, leaning against the fireplace.

"There wasn't a sign of struggle in the limo itself, so either Carly got out on her own or she was unconscious." Jason paled at that thought. Carly could be somewhere hurt or dying and he had no way to get to her. Dr. Lee had said that if her blood pressure sky-rocketed that she could lose consciousness or have seizures… or worse she could die.

Making a decision he picked up the phone and dialed GH, "Yes, I need to have Dr. Lee paged. My name is Jason Morgan and my fiancée is her patient, Carly Corinthos. It's an emergency…" Jason held his breath and drummed his fingers on the end table restlessly.

A sound from the hallway made his heart lurch painfully and his eyes shot to the doorway. He was disappointed to see Alexis walk through the door and then his disappointment changed quickly to being just plain irritated to see a hesitant Sam follow.

Alexis rushed over to Sonny and he didn't even hesitate as he pulled her into his arms and held her tightly. It was obvious that the two had made remarkable progress in their relationship.

Jason turned his attention back to the phone when Dr. Lee came on. "Dr. Lee, this Jason Morgan. Something has happened and I'm afraid that Carly and babies are in danger. I need you to tell me everything and anything you can about what kind of time I am looking at if she is in labor, or has lost consciousness. I don't care, guess if you have to…" Jason sat in silence and listened as the doctor went over several scenarios.

"Ok, I am not sure what exactly we are going to be facing, but I just know with Carly, nothing ever comes easy… when we find her getting to the hospital will be my first priority. Ok, thanks." Jason turned as Bobbie and Luke came back in to the room. Bobbie had been making coffee in the kitchen, her eyes red from crying.

Jason walked over to her and gave her a hug, "I'll find her, I promise."

"Jason?"

Jason mentally groaned and turned to face Sam, he wasn't up to dealing with her crap at the moment.

"Alexis told me about Carly. You must be so worried… I know I haven't been a great fan of hers, but if there's anything I can do…"

"Can you give me Carly back? Can you keep my children safe?" He asked sarcastically, but then seeing her eyes tear up he felt like a jerk, "I'm sorry… thanks for offering, but there's nothing you can do… I guess I'm just kind of surprised by your offer."

"Just because you stopped loving me, doesn't mean I stopped loving you… She's important to you, and these are your babies…" Sam shrugged daintily and with a delicate sniffle she walked over to her mother.

The group turned as one when Sam's cell phone started ringing loudly. Flushed she apologized quickly and left the room.

Jason kept pacing, his eyes landing every few minutes on the suitcase by the door. He didn't have to open it to know what was inside. Carly had carefully planned each item in that bag from her clothes to a few light blue outfits and a few light pink outfits. Jason had sat on the nursery floor laughing every time she pulled out a tiny little suit and debated whether or not it was "the one" that the twins would come home in.

He hated waiting, but there was nothing he could do until his men got back with him and the police were taking a helluva long time to work over the crime scene. Lucky had stepped up to offer to keep him informed, but nothing new had been discovered since Jason had left the scene.

Jason couldn't sit still so he walked back into their bedroom and moved restlessly through out the room. In the short time they lived with each other his life had gone from stress and boredom to laughter and happy activity… He had honestly never been happier in his life than he was waking up to Carly every morning.

Leaning against the dresser he stared down at the most current ultrasound pictures of the twins and a picture of Carly from their reunion at the beach… why had it taken him so long to realize just how much he loved this woman… and always had.


	27. Chapter 27

Chapter 27

"Hello… Jason, are you back here?"

Sam sauntered back into the bedroom and looked around with curious eyes.

Something about seeing his ex-fiancée in Carly's bedroom just seemed plain wrong Jason thought with a scowl. Somehow it was as if she was tainting the room that had become a sanctuary of happiness for them.

"I wanted some privacy… do you mind?" He asked pointedly.

"Privacy? Oh come on… it's not like we haven't shared everything… besides it's not like I haven't seen a bedroom before… much less a bedroom with you in it. We had some fun didn't we? How long has it been for you? Carly can't be too attentive to your needs these days…" Sam sauntered over and peeked at Jason through her eyelashes.

"I am going to pretend that you didn't just try and make a move on me in the bedroom I share with the woman I love… so I am going to be nice just this once and ASK you to leave." Jason pushed past her and made a point of standing by the door to escort her out.

"The woman you love… it's funny, but you seem to forget that you made the brats that woman is carrying in the home you shared with me… the woman you supposedly loved at the time…" Sam snapped.

"Actually, we weren't together at the time and you were screwing your mother's husband on the floor of HER home… whose sin is worse here? Or do you really want to play that game?" Jason smirked as Sam squeaked with rage and let her hand fly.

He didn't even flinch as the hand made contact with his face and the only words that left his mouth were, "Leave… NOW…"

Sam must have recognized the famous glare of ice that had terrified so many of his opponents throughout his carrier as a mob enforcer because she quickly beat a retreat without even glancing back.

Jason sighed and with one last glance he turned the light off and headed back into his study.

When Alexis and Sonny joined him thirty minutes later no one said a word about Sam's conspicuous absence.

"If this is a kidnapping why haven't they made a ransom demand?" Alexis asked Sonny quietly.

"This isn't about ransom… you know how it is in this business… it's usually about retribution…" Sonny finished seriously with a concerned glance at his friend.

A knock on the door interrupted the silence.

"Mr. Morgan, Mr. Alcazar says he's here on urgent business."

"Urgent business my ass, he gets back to town, Carly goes missing…" Sonny blew up as he slammed his hand down on the desk.

"Send him in… it could be a coincidence… but I have to admit the time is just too perfect…" Jason stood up and waited for his nemesis.

"Corinthos, Morgan… I appreciate your show of hospitality…" Lorenzo chuckled at his own joke as he took in the two escorts following him and his own two bodyguards. The tension in the room soon wiped away any trace of humor on his face.

"Well, I can see we aren't in a welcoming mood, so I'll cut to the chase. I went to your place Corinthos and was pointed in this direction. Normally, I would've waited for a more appropriate time, but my men have informed me that you have been anxiously trying to locate me for the past few weeks. So… here I am and to make this short and sweet. Skye Quartermaine is now Skye Alcazar… we've been blessed with the birth of a beautiful baby girl…"

"Cut the crap… What? You come here for congratulations? You want us to give you a wedding present…" Sonny began to rant until Alexis put a calming hand on his arm.

"As interesting as this is getting, I'd just like to put an offer of peace on the table…" Lorenzo finished firmly.

"That's interesting… Your timing is just amazing. So what happened? Things go south with your plans so you have to cover your tracks now?" Sonny snarled.

"I swear to everything holy that if something has happened to Carly or our children…" Jason began in a quiet but deadly voice as he went to stand directly in front of the posturing man.

"Carly? Why would I hurt Carly… or the children, I was Michael and Morgan's stepfather however briefly…" Lorenzo was genuinely puzzled.

"You mean to say that you don't have anything to do with Carly's disappearance?" Sonny growled.

"What she ran off and left you again Corinthos, or wait a second… I remember now, you two played musical partners again… funny how you two share your women…" Lorenzo drawled.

"As much as I want to kill you where you stand, I am willing to let that particular urge go for the moment. Right now all I want to know is what you have done with Carly. I am even willing to look the other way as long as you let her get to the hospital…" Jason stated quietly as he pulled his gun from the back of his pants and laid it on the table.

Suddenly sensing that the younger man in front of him was deadly serious, Lorenzo waved his men back.

"I am only going to say this once and you can believe me or not… I would NEVER hurt Carly… and if something has happened to her… I will do whatever I can to make sure she gets home safe." Lorenzo looked Jason directly in the eye as he made his offer.

Jason knew Sonny was ready to argue that to trust Alcazar was stupid, but at the moment he would do anything to make sure his family was safe.

"Even though you expect us to believe you don't know what has been going on around here, I happen to know that you have kept appraised of everything that has been going on since you departed town… starting with Lansing getting gunned down and Carly nearly being taken down with him." Jason leaned against his desk and watched Lorenzo's every reaction.

"That's funny… it seems like even I have been left out of the loop on that one… I had wondered why he hadn't contacted me, but you know how he is… was, whatever, he changed loyalties faster then…" He shrugged at Sonny and Jason's exchanged glance, "It's pointless to deny that we were working together now isn't it… Anyway, all jokes aside I am aware of Carly's change in status these days, and I am aware that she's in a delicate condition."

"Then we don't need to tell you that it is critical that we get to her… the sooner the better." Sonny added sarcastically.

"I realize that it is going to take a lot of trust, but I can assure you that I am playing honestly here… So here's my offer, I help you find Carly and in return you agree to call a truce… for the lives of our children… our families." Lorenzo laid his offer on the table.

Jason looked at Sonny and knew that he didn't even have to tell Sonny his feelings, they were written clearly on his face.

Sonny stuck out his hand and the men closed the deal with a hand shake.

"So… do you have an idea of where to start?" Jason asked Lorenzo speculatively.

"A lot closer than you would think…" Lorenzo smiled a deadly smile and pulled out his cell phone.

Carly glanced at her watch… the pains were irregular but they were getting stronger and her energy was quickly fading.

The door opening brought at surge of hope that was quickly and cruelly squelched.

"I know, I know… you were expecting someone else… but, he's not coming… I've made sure of that…"

Carly groaned, "You are sick… you won't gain anything from this…"

"Sadly you are right… do you think you can walk out of here on your own two feet?" Sam tilted her head curiously.

"You're going to let me go? Just like that?" Carly panted through another pain.

"Well, like you said I can't win… wow, you look like you are having some trouble. I guess I could call an ambulance…" Sam pulled out her cell phone.

"Whatever… that sounds like a plan… ugh, just tell them to hurry…" Carly didn't care where the sudden change of heart was coming from… she knew that she ought to be suspicious…

"Hmmmm… I can't seem to get a signal from in here… I am just going to leave this door open and wait for you to meet me out front… of course, it might take a while to get down the stairs… two flights in your condition and no elevator around, that might be tough… But you have incentive on your side don't you. If you make it down the stairs… then you can make it on your hands in knees to me, I will personally let you use my cell phone." Sam smiled sweetly.

"You FUCKING BITCH! I swear I am going to kill you myself!" Carly screamed.

"You said it yourself, I can't get what I want… so I am going to get what I can … I am going to make you suffer… then I am going to sit back and watch Jason suffer… it's the least I can do. See you outside!" Sam blew a kiss to the screaming woman on the floor.

After a few minutes Carly took a deep breath and tried to calm herself down, "Ok babies… we are going to get out of this building and too your daddy… I'll be damned if I am going to sit here and wait for that psycho to change her mind and decided to be nice and put us out of misery… Ohhhh… stop, please stop… owww!"


	28. Chapter 28

Chapter 29

Carly inched along the floor on her hands and knees… thanks to Sam's snide comment about her crawling to her on her hands and knee she hated the thought of that mode of travel, but at the moment her options were severely limited.

She couldn't risk falling or collapsing and if it weren't for the thought of her children she would have probably never made it to the stairwell, bit somehow she did it. Her aching hands and knees screamed in agony, but they were nothing compared to the sharp contractions that were coming quite regularly now… thankfully they weren't close enough to say the babies would be arriving any second, but they were enough to slow her down and make her progress extremely slow.

Somehow she managed to get the door open and scooted toward the stairs. The stairway was poorly lit and overall pretty creepy, but she had no choice but to suck up her fear and keep moving. Realizing that she probably no longer needed the blouse covering the tank top she was wearing the idea occurred to her that if she took it off she could wade it up to hold the door open which would give her more light. The comforted her as she carefully put her plan into action.

"Well, here goes whatever is left of my pride." She thought as she maneuvered herself to take the stairs on her butt. The skirt she was wearing wouldn't be fit to be used as anything other than a rag when she was finished, but she had planned on burning it just to get rid of the memories it held now anyway. Singing a little nursery rhyme she started her descent.

Two stairs down with eight more to go until the landing, she felt as if her stomach was being ripped in two. Panting she leaned against the wall and gritted her teeth. Maybe she could just rest here for awhile… maybe Sam had fallen into a vat of burning hot oil… Maybe Jason would walk through that door at any moment…

"Are you sure this is the place?" Jason whispered to Lorenzo as he pulled his gun out and looked around the corner.

"Yeah. My men, at least those that haven't converted to her loyal subjects were pretty sure that this is where they were holing up. Did Sonny tell you how long it would take to get around to the backstreet?"

"No, but knowing how quick this situation could go bad, he'll work fast… Damn it, I just can't believe Sam has been working for you for months and our guys never had a clue… what she using to control her men… she doesn't have money… and if you say its the being a woman…"

"Oh come on Jase… at one time you would've done anything for me…"

Jason and Lorenzo both turned with a groan. The bitch was sneaky, they had to hand it to her.

"How did you know we were here?" Lorenzo asked.

"Mommie dearest called me and told me that something was up… she was so worried about Sonny and needed the comfort that only a daughter can provide. She really didn't mean to tell me that you guys were planning something and that Lorenzo was back in town. It was really thoughtful of you to not mention that I was the big, bad threat… Now, let's go inside where we can have little more privacy…" Sam stood back with two of her goons and kept her gun pointed directly at Jason's heart… she knew that having his children in danger would make him the biggest threat.

"Come on Sam, this isn't you. I know I hurt you, but take it out on me, not Carly and for god sake not the babies… you of all people wouldn't have it in you to hurt them…" Jason tried to cajole her, but Sam wasn't going for it.

"Oh shut up… so, I lost my baby… I still grieve for her… it's YOUR kids that I care nothing about… and you… believe me you will suffer. Maybe I'll let you see poor Carly as she dies giving birth… maybe she's already dead… Either way I'm afraid you all have to die… because I am realizing that there is something better than love and men… it's power… and with the Cassadine name and the mob power of Port Charles in my control…"

"Mob power, as if anyone is going to take you seriously," Lorenzo laughed.

"Come on… don't be bitter. We had our few nights together before you decided to become a family man… Besides my soon-to-be fiancée might not be too keen on having all the old baggage around…"

"Who would be stupid enough to marry you?" Lorenzo laughed, "Sorry Morgan… present company excluded…"

"Oh… you would be surprised… besides, you don't need to know… you'll be dead in a few minutes anyway." Sam laughed as she led them into a big warehouse-like room full of crates and boxes. Sonny and Max were being led in from another entrance… two more thugs holding guns on them.

"Tsk, tsk… oh, how the mighty have fallen…" Sam laughed gleefully.

"Sam? You know that there's no turning back from this. You might as well turn the gun on yourself…" Sonny tried to reason with her but it only made her grin a sickly sweet smile.

"Just think, you could've been my stepdaddy… how wonderfully dysfunctional… Alexis will be so disappointed to lose you, but then again… she seems to be remarkably tough. Too bad we aren't REALLY related… you think she would mind if she knew that her REAL daughter was living in hell on earth? I can't believe I didn't even have to do a DNA test… at least not until Nikolas got snoopy… anyway, once he gets over his little problem of lusting after his cousin... it might be fun. Alright, you guys don't need any details…Who wants to go first? I feel like I a virgin in a whorehouse… so many options…" She smirked.

"Kill all of us… I don't care, but please, just let Carly go." Jason stated quietly.

"Oh, I'll kill all of you… and if she can climb over your cold lifeless body then she can go. But I should mention that she's in labor or at least having a hard time… You think seeing you die would be too much for her?" Sam stated and leveled the gun straight at Jason's heart, "Of course, I would say it's been fun, but then again, we've said everything there is to say…"

She could hear voices… mainly Sam's irritating screech, but she swore she heard Lorenzo's voice. Why would he be here? Surely he wouldn't be in on this.

Poking her head out the stairwell door again she glanced down the hallway. It had taken most of her strength to get down the rest of the stairs, but at least the pains had stopped for the moment.

She knew that this could be a bad thing, but if she stopped to focus on that she would never make it out of here alive. She just had to keep going and have a little faith. She could see one of the idiots that brought her here standing at the end of a short corridor. Looking around she noticed the small fire extinguisher on the wall.

"Please god, please just give me the strength to do this. I just need a little strength… please." Rubbing her swollen belly she whispered to her unborn children, "I love you… please hang in there… I love you and your daddy so much."

Slowly she used the wall to pull herself to her feet. Her head spun, but she took a deep breath and moved silently forward and into the hallway. It took a good portion of her strength but she managed to quietly pick up the fire extinguisher and slide down the wall for support.

The voices were getting louder. Was that Sonny? Had he and Jason made it in time? Should she scream? So many questions…

As she got closer she finally managed to make out the words that Sam was saying and her strength increased from anger alone. The thug didn't even know what hit him as a fire extinguisher flew through the air and caught him in the head.

As he fell to the ground in a dead heap Carly fought the urge to cheer, God must surely be on her side at the moment because no way should she have been able to get this far.

The thought gave her all the encouragement she needed as she reached down and carefully leaned over the man to look for his gun.

Sam might think she was going to win, but Carly wouldn't think twice about using deadly force to show her just how wrong she was.

Carly poked her head once again out the door. She could just barely see where Sonny and Max standing. Was Jason close by?

Lowering herself to her knees she scooted behind box after box to get a better view. Four thugs held guns on her would-be rescuers and yes, Jason was among them. If she could just get Jason to see her… to let him know that she was ok… she knew that he would be able to somehow gain the upper hand… She knew in her heart that he would save them…

Tucking the gun in the back of her skirt she moved slowly stood up and using a crate as a crutch she took a few steps forward. If she kept moving like this then she could reach them. She saw Sam lower the gun at Jason and knew that she had to do something quick.

Giving the stacked crates next to her a nudge she managed to knock them over.

Sam jerked into attention, "What in the hell was that? You… go check it out…"

"Who else is here?" Sam snarled.

"Who knows? Maybe it's a ghost?" Sonny laughed and tried to look relaxed.

"That's funny Corinthos… I never knew you had a sense of humor." Lorenzo joked.

"I could have told you… he's a barrel of laughs…" Jason smiled nonchalantly.

"Yeah… a regular Lucille Ball…" Max added and then grimaced as everyone turned their eyes on him, "What… I couldn't think of anyone else at the moment."

"Funny, you guys are so fucking funny! Well, it doesn't matter because whoever it is about to watch you die…"

Carly felt the barrel of gun press into her back, "Don't move blondie."

"Please… I'm in labor, I need to get to the hospital." She groaned, ready to play the damsel in distress card.

"And I could care less… get movin'…"

Carly winced as she moved forward and a REAL pain hit her harder than any of the previous ones… She started to sink to the ground and flinched waiting for the asshole to yell at her.

But, a thud and silence greeted her…

Turning with a gasp she nearly smiled, "Alexis, what in the hell are you doing here?"

"I couldn't let the guys have all the fun now could I… Are you in labor?" A concerned frown crossed her face.

"I… I just need to sit here for a minute… just… oowww…. Ohh… we need help…" Carly felt the world getting fuzzy.

Alexis saw the gun that Carly was holding and picked it up. She would have to do this on her own because Carly was starting to lose coconsciousness and wasn't in any condition to be moved.

With a decisiveness that hid the heaviness of her heart Alexis aimed at the woman she had once thought was her daughter and knowing she couldn't afford to feel regret or guilt, she pulled the trigger.

Everything started happening at once as Sam fell to the ground and Sonny's other men came charging in the building being led by Luke.

The men that were working for the villainess quickly dropped their guns and raised their hands in the air.

"Don't tell me I'm late." Luke drawled as he walked up to the group of men standing around the moaning Sam.

Sonny turned and held open his arms to Alexis in silent support. Shaking and with tears streaming down her face she dropped the gun and flew into his arms.

"Mom… how could you?" Sam cried as her hands covered the bloody spot in her shoulder.

"Shut up… how COULD YOU?" Alexis bit out as she pulled away from Sonny's shelter. "I want you to take two seconds to tell me where my daughter is… Yes, I heard your little confession… and in those two seconds if I don't hear what I want to hear you will understand WHY people fear the Cassadine name… Jason, Carly's over there behind those crates… she's pretty bad…" Alexis gave the man a regretful glance.

Not even stopping to ask questions Jason flew to Carly's side. Her blonde hair was heavy with sweat and her face should the signs of her ordeal. Lifting her head into his lap, he smoothed the hair away from her face.

"Bobbie is out side in the ambulance Jason… We should get her out of here…" Luke put a hand of reassurance on the kneeling man's shoulder.

"Come on Car… we've gotten this far together… just hang on awhile longer and I promise I'll never leave you on your own again…" Jason whispered reverently as he lifted the unconscious woman into his arms and headed for the exit.


	29. Chapter 29

Chapter 30

Carly didn't have to open her eyes to know that Jason was standing right beside her. She could feel his comforting presence, could feel his love radiating toward her in a wave of energy.

Smiling softly she opened her eyes, "I knew you would find me…"

"Carly? Hey baby, how are you feeling?" Jason asked pressing a warm his to the hand he was holding.

It took Carly a moment to comprehend his question and when she began to think about it she realized that she couldn't feel her legs.

"Jason… what's wrong with me? I can't feel my legs… oh… Oh god, did I lose them… did I lose our babies?" Carly's body was too heavy to move… she started sobbing softly.

"Shhh… shhh, it's ok… the babies are ok… Dr. Lee had them give you something for the pain and to lower your blood pressure … they are preparing the NICU and the OR right now…" Jason smiled through his tears.

"No… Jason, I can't do it… I'm not ready… we're not ready… can't they wait... please, just tell them to wait. Now that I am with you… I'm going to be fine…" Carly started to panic as the fear began to penetrate the fog in her head.

"Baby… we knew they could come early… everyone is ready…" Jason tried to calm her, but Carly kept crying and shaking her head.

"No… I'm not ready… Jason… I want to get married…" Carly pleaded.

"We're going to get married…"

"NO… I want to get married now… before the babies come…"

Jason would've laughed at the stubborn expression on Carly's face, but he hadn't told her yet just how serious the situation was.

"Listen to me… you had a seizure on the way to the hospital… There's no time…" Jason wiped the tears from Carly's face.

"Please… Jase… I can't go do this… what if… what if…" Carly closed her eyes and stifled a sob.

Jason knew that she was talking about dying and it scared the hell out of him. Dr. Kelly had stressed that if the babies weren't taken today then death was a very real threat.

Suddenly, he realized what he needed to do, "I, Jason Morgan… take you, Caroline Spencer… to be my lawfully wedded wife… my partner, my friend… my lover… Carly, I don't need the ceremony to be married to you… I have been yours from the first smile you ever gave me. We have been through so much and we will get through whatever else life throws are way. Everything I have is yours… everything I am, I am because you loved me without any limits… I promise to love you and our family for as long as I live and even after… You are my soulmate… and I love you."

Carly smiled through her tears and squeezed Jason's hand, "I, Caroline Spencer, take you, Jason Morgan, to be my lawfully wedded husband… I promise to love you, support you and even though I can't promise to obey you all of the time, I promise to at least try and consider your feelings before I act… You are the only one who has ever understood me… who has ever loved me without demanding that I change who I am… the only person that has as ever seen me as I truly am… I love you so much and I have from the moment you looked up from the pool table at Jake's… thank you for loving me…"

Jason silenced her with a hard and possessive kiss, "Now I pronounce us husband and wife… and family…" He smiled at the watery giggle Carly let out.

A knock on the door ended the moment too soon and Jason quickly brushed a kiss across her lips.

"Alright… welcome back Carly… we are just going to…" Dr. Lee quickly explained the procedure and explained why Carly would need to be sedated.

Carly wanted to stay awake, but she knew better than to argue with Jason when he got that look in his eye. She knew that she could trust him to do what was best for the babies and her and so she meekly gave in.

As Dr. Lee and her medical staff worked to get Carly prepared, Monica and Bobbie stepped into the room. They were dressed in scrubs and Monica was holding an extra set in her hands.

"One of the perks of working in the hospital is that we get to observe… I hope you don't mind but I'd like to be in the operating room with you…" Bobbie smiled at her daughter and gave her a kiss on the cheek. Monica stood there quiet as she hesitantly handed Jason the scrubs she was holding and it was obvious that she was expecting Carly and Jason to tell her she wasn't needed

"I'd be honored to have both of you there… Jason could use a little support I think…" Carly smiled sleepily as the sedation began to take effect.

The whole thing took a little over an hour and as Jason stood at Carly's head he couldn't help but remember another little girl that had been brought into this world under less than perfect conditions. He knew he would never forget what Sam could have done to his family and he could honestly say that he would never think of her with kindness, but that wasn't little Lila's fault and he couldn't blame that innocent baby for the sins of her mother.

Saying a quick prayer for the little angel's soul he held his breath as the medical team began.

"Ok… I want to have the incubators standing by… these little ones are going to be small and may be somewhat lethargic from the meds we had to give mommy… "

"Alright… we're in… so far everything looks good… Here we are… Mr. Morgan, you have a tiny, but perfect little boy..."

Jason felt his eyes sting as he kissed Carly on the forehead and whispered in her ear, "Did you hear that … we have a son… and he's ok…"

The baby let out a wail of indignation as the nurses poked and prodded him… For such a little guy, he sure had a strong pair of lungs.

"Little Boy Morgan… 4 lbs. 2 oz., 16 3/4 inches long… everything looks real good, doctor." The NICU nurse smiled shyly at Jason and went back to work.

"Here we go Jason… baby number two is…not breathing…" Dr. Lee turned and laying the baby on the nursery gurney the along with the nurses standing by worked to resuscitate the still infant.

"What? What's going on?" Jason yelled as he tried to see what was going on.

Monica took Jason's arm to steady him, "Jason, she's really small… but they are doing the best they can…"

"She?" Jason stood still and a sense of protectiveness so great spread through him… he had a son and a daughter…

""We've got her stable… she's fighter, this one… not breathing, but throwing those fists around like a champ already… 3 lbs. 6 oz., 14.3 inches long…" the same nurse who had taken the vitals for his son called out and Jason took a deep breath of air.

Jason felt like the luckiest man alive at that moment, "Baby… you did it… We have a little boy AND a little girl… they are doing fine… they can't wait to meet you."

"Dr. Lee!" The nurse who had been monitoring Carly's vitals shouted.

Dr. Lee turned and looked at the screen, "Mr. Morgan… Jason… I'm sorry… you've got to leave…" Without even explaining she went back to the table and started making orders.

"Monica… please stay with Carly… I'll take Jason out…" Bobbie knew that when it came to the OR, Monica's presence could be a valuable asset.

Jason tried to struggle with Bobbie, "No! I can't leave her… I won't… She needs me… What's going on?"

It took two nurses helping Bobbie to get Jason out of the room, but once it was accomplished Bobbie tried to comfort the young man.

"Carly was hemorrhaging… I couldn't tell from where, but it's probably a result from the BP meds she's been taking throughout the pregnancy… She's going to be ok…" Bobbie talked soothingly to try and calm Jason.

"Can you guarantee that? Can you promise me that Carly is going to be ok?" Jason's voice cracked and tears were streaming down his face.

When Bobbie didn't answer right away, Jason knew he had his answer… It was all in God's hands now.

Falling to his knees with his head bowed he prayed with everything he had… and if anyone walking down the hallway noticed the man crying and pleading silently for his beloved's life there in the middle of the hallway and thought it was odd, they didn't say a word… Instead they quickly sent a prayer of their own to help the man in his time of need.


	30. Chapter 30

Chapter 31

Sorry for the LONG break… I had personal issues to deal with…

The clock ticking on the wall… the steady beeping of the machine… the tiny grunts and squeaks of the tiny life before him…

That is what Jason heard as he watched the scene before him. He hated this… the waiting and not knowing…

Every moment from the time they had wheeled his little girl out of the OR and down to the Neonatal SICU had been full of heartbreaking tension. All he could do was look through the glass and watch as nurses swarmed around his child like bees busily working on their hive.

"Jason?"

Never letting his eyes leave the scene in front of him, he took a deep breath, "Carly?" He didn't need to say another word Bobbie knew what he needed to know.

"Your mother is trying to get her stabilized. She's going to be fine… she's been through so much… and to be happy… to finally have everything she has always wanted… she won't quit now…"

Jason wished he could believe it, but part of his still worried that he was asking too much… that he have been given too much. A cold, blooded killer surely couldn't ever find peace and happiness in life.

"I know you are worried, but I thought you might like to meet someone…" Bobbie didn't have a chance to complete her sentence as the little man in her arms gave a shrill cry.

Jason turned and looked at his son for the first time outside of the OR. The little guy's face was scrunched up in displeasure, a tuft of golden blonde hair stood out on his little head. Jason felt tears sting his eyes as Bobbie placed the little bundle in his arms.

"I was heading to the nursery with him and made a detour. The doctor says he is remarkable healthy for being so small." Bobbie smiled as Jason hugged his son close and placed a soft kiss on his head.

"Hey little guy… I'm your daddy." Unashamed of the tear trickling down his cheek he looked up, "We had thought Matthew Lucas would be a good name for a boy… It was our favorite."

"Matthew Lucas… oh, I like it… My brother of course will be pleased… What do you think Matthew? Do you like your name?" Bobbie cooed at the baby.

Jason smiled down, "He so small… I can almost fit him in one hand… I can't believe he isn't going to be hooked up on machines… his sister… she's having a hard time…" Jason turned back and stared through the glass.

"Sometimes one twin takes a little more than their share of the nutrition and grows more than the other… They'll monitor him for the next 24 hours, maybe give him a little extra oxygen… He's beautiful. I can't wait to meet his sister… Do you have name for her?"

Jason gave Bobbie a crooked smile, "Well thought Madeline would be good… I think Carly was set on having either Lesley or Lu as a middle name… I don't think Carly would've gotten through this without Lu Lu… she's an amazing young woman."

Bobbie smiled, "Yea… she's pretty special. Well, I hate to have to pry the little fellow from your arms, but they're going to put and APB out on him if I don't get him over to the neonatal unit."

"Hey Matty-Bo… I'm going to stay and keep an eye on your little sister… Your momma and I will both see you really soon ok." Jason kissed his son again and handed him over to his grandmother.

Watching as she strolled down the hall with his child nestled safely in her arms, Jason called out, "Hey Bobbie…"

With a smile she turned and stared at the man who held her daughter's heart, "Yeah?"

"Thanks." Jason gave her a nod and turned back toward the window. He wished he knew something… anything… about what was happening, but except for the occasional nod and rushed glance no one had said or done anything to indicate his daughter's status.

With a sigh he pulled out his cell phone and dialed Sonny's number. He needed to know that the outside threat to his family had been taken care of… that _was _something he could control at least.

"Hey… yeah, a boy and a girl… no, things are kind of up in the air… I know, they'll be ok… It's done? That's all I needed to know. I'll call you when I know something…"

Jason hung up and closed his eyes for a moment. He allowed scenes from his life with Sam flash throw his head. The love … the laughter…anything special they had once shared, it all was swept away with her insane acts of revenge.

Sonny hadn't gone into details, but from the tone of his voice Jason knew that the woman's last moments on earth hadn't been pretty. Alexis' hadn't shown the tiniest bit of sympathy or emotion as she ruthlessly ended the life of the woman that she had loved as her daughter.

Jason had a new respect for Alexis because he knew that it had to have been hard her and he knew that he owed her for saving not only his life, but probably the life of everyone that he cared about.

"Jason?" A tired voice echoed down the hall.

With dread Jason turned to face his mother, the look on her face sent a jolt of anguish threw him.

"Is she? Is Carly…" Jason's voice broke and the color drained from his face as he tried to put the single terrifying thought rattling around in his head into words.

"She's stable… she's going to be ok." Monica tried to smile as the color returned to Jason's face.

"She's ok? What? Is something wrong? What aren't you telling me?" Jason took a slow step toward her.

"I know that in the grand scheme of things, maybe it won't matter… maybe the fact that she's alive will make it somehow easier for you both…" Monica began slowly and reached for her son's trembling hand.

Taking a deep breath she began again, "We had to do a hysterectomy… There was just too much bleeding… with the blood pressure medication she wouldn't have survived without the operation… On the positive side, her BP was stable and she was resting when I left her… She should make a complete recovery."

"A Hysterectomy?" Taking a deep breath and slowly releasing it, he rubbed the back of his neck, "I don't know how she will feel about it, but it makes no difference to me… she's alive and that is all that matters right now… her and the twins…" He turned and paced back toward the windows where he had been keeping silent vigil.

"You have a beautiful son… How's my granddaughter?" Monica reached out and held her son's hand clasped warmly in her own. He didn't make a move to pull away, but held on tightly to her hand as if she was his source of energy.

"I don't know… They haven't said anything… I don't want to leave her, but…" Jason tried to decide how to leave his daughter fighting to live.

"You go see Carly. I'll stay with her…" Monica gave his hand a gentle squeeze.

"Her name is Madeline… Maddie for short… can you tell them?" He asked quietly.

Fighting back her tears, Monica smiled, "Sure."

Jason stood in the doorway, staring at the woman sleeping before him. A tiny frown creased her forehead and her skin was porcelain pale.

Walking over to her he reached for her hand and sat in the chair next to the bed. He didn't want to wake her but he couldn't resist laying his head on her chest to listen for the beat of her heart. The steady thumping brought a wave of reassurance rolling over him.

A slight movement and tiny squeeze from her hand alerted him that she was coming to. Slowly lifting his head he smiled at her as Carly fought to open her eyes.

"Hey Mrs. Morgan… how are you feeling?" He asked with choked up emotion.

"The babies… Jase?" She whispered weakly.

"They're good… uh, Matthew is gorgeous… um, I haven't seen Maddie yet, but…" Jason didn't know how to tell her that he didn't know how their daughter was doing.

"What's wrong? Is she ok?" Carly's lip trembled and tears leaked from her eyes.

"Yeah… I think they were just going to do some tests…She's pretty small, but we knew that they would be…" Jason tried to smile reassuringly.

Carly gave him a small nod "Matthew?"

"I got to hold him… I told him we would see him really soon… Your mom took him to the nursery and is keeping an eye on him."

"Sam?" Carly's eyes went from warm to ice cold in a matter of seconds.

"There is no longer a Sam…" Jason raised her hand to his lips and pressed a warm kiss against it.

"Hey… Jason. Oh, Carly… I wasn't expecting you to be awake…" Monica paused in the doorway.

"What? What's wrong? Is Maddie ok?" Jason made to stand up, but Monica held up a hand to stop him.

"She's fine. I just spoke with the neonatalogist. They have hooked up to oxygen and will have to keep her in a closed incubator for awhile… her lungs weren't quite developed, but the doctor seemed confident that she would be ok." Monica smiled at the obvious relief on the two faces in front of her.

"You hear that? She's going to be fine… So, you just get some sleep ok. Our children are safe…" Jason whispered as he leaned in and kissed Carly gently on the mouth.

Carly fought sleep for only a second, but knowing that Jason was with her and the twins were safe she finally gave up and let the darkness take her.

"Love you…" she whispered.

"I love you… thank you, Carly… thank you for loving me and giving me our children…" Jason had no idea if she heard him or not, but said the words anyway… and he would tell her again and again and again… for the rest of their lives he hoped.


	31. Chapter 31

Sometimes life gets in the way of the story in your head and time slips away… sorry to keep you guys waiting… Serendipity 

Chapter 32

Carly felt the fog lifting as she tried to pry her sleep heavy eyes open. Her mouth felt dry like she had been chewing on cotton for the last week or two. Every muscle in her body was stiff and the mere thought of waking up seemed exhausting.

For a moment she tried to push the fuzz from her head and tried to focus. Without moving or opening her eyes she tried to put together the fragments of memory together to figure out where she was and what had happened. As it all came fluttering back to her, her body began to comeback to life and her eyes seemed better able to function.

Blinking a few times and she became aware of a warm, strong hand holding hers tightly. Her eyes focused on the sleeping man beside her and her heart nearly burst with love. How was it possible to love someone so much, she thought groggily.

As if sensing the change in her condition, Jason opened his eyes and cleared his throat.

"How long have you been awake?" He whispered as he leaned closer toward her.

"Not long. Who is with the babies?" She asked with a croak.

Jason smiled and reached for a mug that had been sipping water out of earlier and placed the straw gently at her lips.

Taking a slow sip of the cool water, Carly sighed in pleasure, "You are my hero… thank you."

Catching a trickle of water on her chin with his finger tip Jason touched Carly's face gently, "Our mothers have taken over the Neonatal Unit. When I left they were debating whether or not Matthew looked like you or Maddie looked like me…" He chuckled softly and lifted Carly's limp hand to his lips.

Carly bit her lip and smiled trying to keep the fear out of her voice, "They are ok? Both of them?"

Jason sighed and brushed a tendril of hair of off Carly's face, "Their small, but we knew they would be… Maddie is having difficulty breathing on her own, but they have her in an incubator and on oxygen and that seems to be helping a lot. Matthew is on oxygen at the moment, but the nurses have said its only temporary. For the most part they are doing good… they're anxious to meet their momma…"

"Take me to see them… please." Carly just knew that Jason was going to tell her no and so she began to prepare her argument in her mind.

"I will… let's just let you wake up good and have a nurse come and check you out… I'll carry you down there myself if I have to, ok? Besides the kids are busy getting to know their cousin." Jason chuckled at the confused look in Carly's eyes.

"After you fell asleep earlier, your mom came in and informed me that Lulu had gone into labor not even an hour after getting into town. And if you can believe it Luke actually made it through the delivery… of course, Bobbie says he sounded more than a little drunk… something about seeing his precious angel's water break before his very own eyes…" Jason laughed at the thought of just how horrified something like that would make a man like Luke Spencer.

"I love you…" Carly sighed, "Have I told you how much I love you Jase?"

"Nope." Jason teased playfully.

"Smartass…" Carly stuck her tongue out and then tried to push herself up into a sitting position. "OK… let's do this, I'm awake, so go get the nurse and take me to my babies…"

Jason happiness dimmed as he thought about the one important thing that Carly should know before the nurse came in to check her out. He didn't even realize he was frowning as he struggled to find the words to tell her that she wouldn't be able to have anymore children.

"What? Why do you look so sad?" Carly felt a sense of dread creeping up on her. "You said the babies were ok… Is there something else… What is it you aren't telling me?" Carly's eyes searched Jason's face thoroughly and she was more than a little afraid by the concern and worry in his expression.

"The babies are perfect… ten toes, ten fingers… one little girl and one little boy…" Jason hesitated.

"OK… then if it's not the babies… Did something happen to someone? Are the boys ok? Come on Jase, you are starting to freak me out…"

"I know that the best thing for me to do is to just tell you, so I am just going to come right out and say it." Jason brought Carly's hand to his face, "After the C-Section you started hemorrhaging really bad… I have never been so scared in my life. To have everything I ever wanted there in front of me and to realize the most important part might be taken away… I" Jason's voice broke and tears filled his blue eyes.

"Hey… it's ok. I'm ok, right? I mean, I'm here and I'm not going anywhere." Carly felt her own eyes fill with tears as she gently tried to reassure the man she loved with every beat of her heart.

"Carly, they had no choice. They had to do a hysterectomy… you would have died…" Jason felt the tension in Carly's hand and it broke his heart to watch understanding dawn on her face.

Carly felt sorrow deep in her heart and tried to hold back the tears, "I can't have any more children?" And then the tears began to spill.

Jason became alarmed as he watched Carly breakdown, her slender body shaking with sobs.

"Hey… hey it's ok. Please, baby, don't cry." He wiped the tears trailing down her cheeks with his thumbs and pressed gentle kissed to her face.

"I'm sorry… I am SO sorry Jason…" She sobbed, her words coming out in broken strands.

"For what? Hey, you have nothing to be sorry for." He whispered urgently.

Carly interrupted him, "I can't give you any more children… I will understand if you want to re-think…"

"Stop! Just stop it Caroline." Jason said in a louder voice.

Carly paused and pulled herself together at the serious tone in his voice.

"You have given me two beautiful children today. Two little miracles that I wouldn't trade for anything in the world… and even if they aren't mine, you have given me two wonderful boys to love and protect as if they were my very own… I don't need any more children… But, if you want more… I will move heaven and earth to adopt as many as you want… I don't care… I love YOU and only you." Jason finished in a softer, gentler voice."

Carly hiccupped and smiled and wobbly smile, "And people say that you don't talk… I love you Jase…"

"Damn right you do! Now, I am going to get that nurse and you are going to quit your crying and meet your children…" Jason's attempt at bossy playfulness brought a surprised giggle from Carly. The man never stopped surprising her.

It took four kisses and three more vows of love from Carly to get Jason out of the room and on his way to find a nurse. Carly sighed happily and laid back against the pillow waiting anxiously to greet her youngest children.


	32. Chapter 32

** Sorry for the years of waiting… I had to quit and focus on the real world, but I thought this ending was necessary.

Chapter 33

"Are you ready?"

"It feels like I have been waiting forever for this day."

Taking his new wife's hand into his, Jason Morgan led his bride onto the dance floor.

They had finally had their wedding ceremony and had both agreed that renting Jake's for the reception was only fitting.

Two months ago today Carly had given Jason Maddie and Matt and three weeks ago they had finally been able to bring both twins home for good. Life was slowly but steadily getting back to normal- or at least as normal as it would ever be.

Carly smiled up into Jason's beautiful blue eyes, "Well, we finally did and no one stood up to object…"

"That's because I had Max and Milo threaten everyone as they entered the church." Jason chuckled at the disgruntled look on Carly's face and pulled her closer.

"Can you believe that Luke offered to babysit for Lulu tonight… Something about seeing his grandchild coming into the world must have really changed him." Carly smiled as she glanced over to where Luke was standing holding a whiskey in one hand and an infant in the other.

"Don't get your hopes up… I heard him explaining to Morgan and Molly the rules of cheating in a poker game… that man will never change."

"I love you, Jason Morgan." Carly laughed as she put her head on Jason's shoulder.

No one paid attention to the couple as the groom swept the bride into his arms and carried her to a waiting room upstairs… No one except for two boys happy to see their mother smiling and their hero laughing… and with a high five they made their way towards their waiting grandmothers who were pulling baby duty tonight.


End file.
